Our Gang's Dark Oath
by Ikari no Ojo
Summary: Drink the poison lightly cause there are deeper and darker things than you. You're way too young to play these games...but you better start because monsters do exist, sometimes they are on the inside and sometimes...they win.
1. And So It Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own Tom Marvolo Riddle or any other Harry Potter characters, those belong to J.K Rowling. But I do own Auxiliadora, Amadore, Admeta, Draconias, and Beatrice and the story itself. The title of the story comes from the title of an Aiden song of the same name.

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><p>"Auxiliadora, you need to hurry up darling!" called her mother as she hurried to get ready.<p>

"I know mother!" said Auxiliadora as she grabbed all her school items and placed them in her trunk. Glancing at her black owl and it's vibrantly hazel eyes, she smiled at it. "Nox, its time to go to Hogwarts" she said as the owl screeched in happiness. When she was finally ready, she pocketed her wand and headed downstairs. "Lia, you take too long" said her older brother Amadore. His raven hair was cut short with his bangs hanging off to the sides of his face. He had a teasing smirk as she stuck her tongue out at him. "That hurt!" he said, placing his hand over his heart. "We all know you are just joking" said her older sister, Admeta.

Admeta was what Auxiliadora had hoped she'd look like when she was her sister's age. Full lips painted just the right shade of red, her almond shaped hazel eyes sparkled in amusement of her younger siblings. Her hair, raven like her families, was shoulder length and fell in a cascade of curls. The curls made her very sharp and defined face look regal, as if she could not be touched. With that, Admeta turned to her younger sister.

"Lia, I hope you enjoy your first year at Hogwarts. It was a wonderful time when I was there. Remember to open up a bit to new people, not everyone will harm you"she said as she helped Auxiliadora fix her clothes.

"I know big sister. But what if I'm not sorted in Gryffindor like you, big brother, Mother, and Father?" she asked, her fears overpowering the love her family held towards her.

"We'll still love you no matter what house you are placed in Auxiliadora" said Amadore, using her full name to show how serious he was.

Beaming, she quickly ate breakfast as everyone hurried to get her to the Hogwarts Express. Upon reaching the platform, they caught sight of Albus Dumbledore standing beside an eleven year old boy. His eyes were transfixed forwards, not even bothering to glance at the people walking over. His dark hair was parted neatly and his bangs were swept over to the right over his forehead. Clothed in peculiar clothes, even the Liddell family who were used to Muggle fashion could not place where one would get clothes made of gray fibers that looked like they were uncomfortable. He was pale and it was only when Dumbledore began to speak did he look over at the family.

"Ah! Beatrice, Draconias, what a pleasure to see you again. I see your youngest is here to attend Hogwarts now!" said the Transfiguration teacher with a warm smile.

Auxiliadora stared at the boy before her, catching his gaze with hers. Taking a step back, she felt like she was burned the moment she met his gaze. No emotion was shown in the pools of deepest blue. Turning away, she tried not to meet his gaze again.

"Yes Albus, this is Auxiliadora" said her mother as she pushed Auxiliadora forward. "Ah! Lia, it is a pleasure to meet you. I see you will probably follow in the footsteps of your older brother" said Dumbledore with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Or perhaps like your eldest sister?" he asked.

"Professor Dumbledore, I do hope that she stays away from my troublesome brother's path. Her studies are more important than pranks"said Admeta pointedly while Amadore just smiled. The family laughed before turning to the young boy watching them with contempt. "And who is this Albus?" asked Draconias. "Ah, this is Tom Riddle. I brought him here from a Muggle orphanage. He possess extraordinary powers" said Dumbledore.

When the train came, Auxiliadora said goodbye to her family and boarded the train along with Amadore, who was now in his final year of Hogwarts. Dumbledore left her and Tom by themselves in a compartment, so she pulled out her sketchbook. His cold eyes never left her as the sounds of scratching on parchment filled the air. She tried to ignore his stare, but the immense weight of the ominous feeling that hung overhead made her life her head and meet his gaze once more.

"May I help you?" she asked quietly. Tom turned his head and stared out the window at the passing scenes. "I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want them to do, without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me. I can make them hurt if I want to...I can speak to snakes too. They find me, whisper things." said Tom quietly, his voice soft and velvety. "Parseltongue" said Auxiliadora, surprised by her realization. Tom narrowed his eyes and she waved her hands from left to right to show she meant no harm. "One who can speak with snakes is called a Parseltongue" she explained. He nodded but said no more, filing what he was just told away for later use.

The duo never spoke the rest of the way after that. When they arrived at Hogwarts, they sat in a boat together with the rest of the first years. Oddly enough, they were the only two in the boat. 'Something's not right about this' she thought to herself but did not mention anything. When they finally reached the shore, she followed the crowd indoors. As she waited for her name to be called, she heard Tom's name be called. "SLYTHERIN!" yelled the Sorting Hat as the hat barely touched his head. "Auxiliadora Liddell". Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the hat and could swear it began to smirk at her. "Ah another Liddell. I've sorted your whole family into Gryffindor, but your path doesn't start there. Oh no, your heart holds darkness within it, not a terrible darkness though. You have a passion for Dark objects, but no passion for pursuing the Dark Arts. You're tongue is quicker than your wit, and you are much like your brother: a trickster at heart. But Gryffindor is not for you, no, let it be...SLYTHERIN!" cried the hat. Jumping off the stool, she caught her brother's eyes and saw him smiling at her. Despite the hatred that Slytherins and Gryffindors had for each other, her brother wasn't letting that get in the way.

Sitting down at the table, she saw she was beside Tom again. Saying nothing, she chose to eat in silence as she saw her brother wave to her. Waving back with a warm smile, she pushed the feeling of being watched from her mind. Those deep blue eyes so filled with malice worried her to the deepest reaches of her heart, but for now, she would let it rest.


	2. Listen To Your Friends

Author's Note: Thank you to the reviewer who enjoyed this story. I hope you keep enjoying it :)

Disclaimer: The title of this song belongs to New Found Glory and the characters besides my own created characters belong to J.K Rowling

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><p>Months faded in time as Auxiliadora spent more time at Hogwarts. Fall had come in a loud burst of fiery reds, outstanding oranges, and golden yellows. The leaves danced in the chill of the breeze passing by, causing Auxiliadora to pull her green and silver scarf tight around her neck. Her sketchbook was still on her lap as she scanned the grounds, watching a plethora of groups of friends play. With a faint smile, she began to sketch the scene until a group of 7th year Slytherins appeared in front of her.<p>

"Well, well, if it isn't the blood traitor" hissed Dalmascus, his golden eyes narrowed in contempt. "How dare you soil the pure blood legacy of Slytherin with your traitorous ways" snarled Fran. The two leaders of the group were heavily admired by their cronies, who happened to be from many different groups of students. Fran was the Slytherin beauty with her pin straight chestnut hair that reached her shoulders and obsidian eyes, curvy figure, flawless complexion and full lips. Dalmascus was nicknamed the Slytherin Prince because he held regal features that gave the impression that he truly was a prince. His muscular build and bronzed skin making him appear a god. His midnight hair hung to the sides of his face, framing them and making his stormy eyes more intimidating.

Auxiliadora noticed Fran snatching her sketchbook from her lap and jumped up. "Aw the little traitor misses her sketchbook" cooed Fran as she gave a malicious smirk and she flipped through the book before settling on particular drawing. "So the traitor loves the Riddle freak? How adorable" screeched Fran, loudly enough for those in the vicinity to hear. "You two would be perfect for each other" spat Dalmascus as he ripped the page out and charmed it to fly right into the very person they were accusing her of having a crush on.

Tom Riddle had just exited the school and was scanning the grounds with his cool gaze when a piece of paper struck his head. Narrowing his eyes at the offender, he saw that girl from his classes standing in the middle with her head hung down. "Get lost Riddle freak" snapped Fran. His eyes flashed dangerously before Amadore rushed forward and pulled out his wand. "I suggest you leave my sister and Riddle alone Fran, Dalmascus. You wouldn't want letters written home about how this is the 20th time you've taken it upon yourself to harass students and not only that torture them. You are Head Boy and Girl, set an example" he spat as he grabbed Auxiliadora by her arm and dragged her away after she collected her sketchbook. They approached Tom as Amadore apologized for his classmates comments. "But why was paper thrown at me" was all Tom wanted to know.

"It was my sketchbook. I'm sorry" she said softly as she tried to avoid his gaze. He turned to her and then nodded before walking away from the duo. At that moment her friends, Audrey from Ravenclaw, Isabella from Hufflepuff, Penelope from Gryffindor, and Ashley from Slytherin came rushing over to her. "what in Merlin's beard was Tom Riddle doing beside you?" they all exclaimed in unison. Their distrust of a certain Riddle was infamous in Hogwarts, which was impressive as they were all first years and it had only been a few months since the start of the term. "Yeah Lia, what gives?" asked Penelope with her hand on her hip. Her straw colored hair ,which was pulled back into two pigtails on the sides of her head with owl feathers tied into the hair ties, swayed with the breeze.

Audrey just sat against a tree with her book, not really glancing up. "He's bad news Lia" she said softly as she brushed a strand of chocolate hair out of her view. Isabella had her jade gaze turned to the sky before she looked at Auxiliadora, brushing a strand of wavy shoulder length raven hair behind her ear. "Lia, we are just concerned. I do not think that his intentions are good" she said, her voice was like a fairy's laugh from hardly ever being used.

Ashley nodded. Her auburn hair was pulled up into a bun and her almond azure eyes narrowed across the grounds at Tom. "He's a snake" she muttered. "Well he is in Slytherin Ashley" said Penelope with a grin. Ashley turned her glare on Penelope while the gang chuckled. Auxiliadora enjoyed the remainder of her time with her friends before she said her goodbyes and headed to potions.

Upon reaching the classroom, she saw she was rather early and none of the other students had filed in just yet. Getting her stuff set up, she saw Tom walk into the room. His face was calm and his eyes were calculating, something that hardly ever changed. He saw her and approached her, sitting down beside her and getting his cauldron ready as well. "Your art is good" he said quietly, his tone giving her the suspicion that he didn't really want to admit that to her. "Thank you" she said softly and was silent until she saw Fran and Dalmascus enter the room. "Oh no" she groaned as she tried to hide herself from the duo. Tom narrowed his eyes at her action, sneering before glancing at the popular duo. "You are a coward" he said, not glancing at her. "I know" she said. He scoffed and looked away.

The room was silent until a blood  
>curdling scream came from Fran's perfect lips. Auxiliadora tried to block out the sounds, but it was no use. It was as if one was being burned alive while a dagger was plunged into their heart and twisted about. The screams made her blood run cold. Tom looked at Auxiliadora as Fran was rushed to the Hospital Wing and the professor dragged Dalmascus to the Headmaster's office. "They won't hurt you anymore" he said softly as the professor came back into the room. "Class will be cancelled today" said the professor who was as white as snow.<p>

Curiosity peaked inside of Auxiliadora as she followed Tom. "You did that...didn't you?" she asked him quietly. With the slightest of nods that made her guess if she really had seen it, he confirmed her guess. The calmness in which he told her unnerved the young girl. "You won't tell anyone, would you?" he asked, his voice laced with fear. Auxiliadora shook her head and grasped his hand. "You're my friend Tom. I won't tell, I promise" she said with a warm smile. His fear ebbed away and he gave a sweet smile. "I've never had any friends. Promise me you'll always be there for me?" he asked, his innocence making Auxiliadora laugh. "Of course Tom. I'll always be by your side, that's what friends do" she said as they wondered around the corridors that led to their common room. "If that is true, then I'll always be by your side too" he said softly. Auxiliadora smiled and he smiled back at her. "Auxiliadora" Tom started when she smiled. "Call me Lia. All my friends do" she said, energy seeping from her words. Her change of personality caused Tom to become confused, but he thought little of it. "Very well then. Lia, why is it you will not tell on me?" he asked, his speech elaborate for an eleven year old.

"The Dark Arts and Dark artifacts interest me. I would never pursue them, or even use them. But their origins and what they do have always held my attention" she explained. Tom, silent while she spoke, absorbed everything she said. When it got late, the duo walked back to the common room. "Well, goodnight Tom" she said as she bounded up the stairs to the girls dormitory. "Good night Lia" said Tom as she left his sight. In the flames burning in the fireplace a wicked smirk formed on his pale features and a malicious glint.

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><p>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! :)<p> 


	3. Dark Dreams

Author's Note: Thank you to carolinagirl2 for adding this story to her alerts and for also reviewing. I'd also like to thank siriusloverlollipops for adding this story to their alerts as well. It makes me really happy guys, so I hope you keep enjoying this story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Harry Potter world, as that is from the creative mind of J.K Rowling. I do, however, own Amadore, Auxiliadora, Penelope, Ashley, Isabella, and Audrey. The title of this song comes from a Blood On The Dancefloor song titled 'Dark Dreams'. Plus I incorporated a few lines of the song into this chapter, so they own those lines.

_italics_= thoughts

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><p>Something wasn't right here. Glancing around, she found herself in a bathroom, one she had never seen before. An eerie silence seemed to echo around her as she took one step forward, the clicking of her shoes making her jump as it intruded into the silence. "Hello?" she called as she looked around, her emerald eyes wide and fearful. Suddenly the door opened and she ran into one stall, closing the door and staying very still.<p>

Heart wrenching sobs met her ears as she heard someone cry in one of the stalls. Her heart broke and she wanted so hard to reach out to open the door, to comfort the crying girl. But she couldn't move, or more like she wouldn't move. And when the door opened again, she shrunk further back into the stall. Footsteps echoed through the bathroom once more, silencing the sobs with their ominous cries. For some reason, fear struck her down and paralyzed her in her spot. A harsh hissing sound was heard and it confused her, making her move forward to see what was happening. What confused her more was it was a man standing in the bathroom.

As he turned around, the scene flashed to a graveyard. There was a pale man with snake like features and spidery fingers holding a wand that was seemingly made of bone. He muttered something that she couldn't hear and then a flash of light before she was filled with immense pain. Tears welled up in her eyes as she silently screamed out while her body was filled with searing pain. Her relentless tormentor smirked in sadistic glee as he watched her body write in pain on the ground before stepping towards her and casting the spell again. This time she screamed out and tried to dismiss the fact that it felt like her heart was being crushed by her ribs. Her organs were being ripped apart by the spell and she thought her head would explode from the pressure.

Waking up with a start, Auxiliadora found herself covered in sweat. Her roommates just stared at her, wondering why she was acting the way she was. Ever since she witness Tom silently harm Fran, she had been having these dreams._ 'All these dark dreams got to mean something'_ she thought as she saw it was still too early to head to breakfast, but she still rose to her feet due to her fear of sleep._ 'I can't escape the monsters in my head, they are always right behind me'_ she thought as she sat down on the couch in the common room. Soft footsteps made their way to her and she whirled around, her frightened expression melting into a friendly one. "Good morning Tom" she said with a smile. He returned her smile and sat beside her. "Couldn't sleep Lia?" he asked her. "No. I've been having this nightmares lately" she murmured softly. He nodded his head in understanding. "And what happens in these dreams?" he asked. She opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it. "I can't remember" she said sheepishly as he just narrowed his eyes.

"Liar" he said as his tone became dangerously cold. "I'd rather not speak of it Tom" she said as he feigned a look of hurt. "Do you not trust me Lia?" he said, voice pleading. Her heart broke then and she sighed. "I keep seeing this snake like man and every time he turns to me, I end up feeling this excruciating pain. I silently scream at first but then I truly scream and I plead for him to stop, but he cruelly smirks and then I wake up in sweat, then not go back to sleep" she said, his cold eyes still on her. "Was that so hard to tell me?" he asked, his voice warm again like his demeanor before hadn't happened. "I just felt like it was foolish" she said as he smirked. "Of course it was. Its a dream, it means nothing" said Tom as he rose to his feet. "Come, it's breakfast time" he said. She followed behind him, never knowing that the whole way he had a smirk.

"Sit" he said as he sat down, Auxiliadora beside him. Her friends from their respective tables narrowed their eyes, while Ashley found it neigh on impossible to make it to her from the other end of the table. "Trash" spat Dalmascus as he narrowed his eyes at the duo. "How is your companion? Is she alright?" asked Tom, his cold edge present in his voice as his malicious glint sparked behind his eyes. Dalmascus flinched but his temper flared. "I know you did it you little freak" he snarled. Tom just smirked. "Why on earth would I do that?" he asked calmly as Auxiliadora spoke up. "He didn't do anything to you Dalmascus! How could he since he was with me setting up?" she said. Dalmascus didn't speak another word but he shot them one nasty glare before turning away from them. "Thank you Lia" said Tom with a kind smile. She smiled back before bounding off towards Charms.

She spotted Ashley waiting for her and rushed over to her. "Hello Ashley" she said as Ashley saw her. "Hello Lia. What's with hanging around Tom?" she asked, concerned for her friend's safety. "It was nothing, I promise. You guys worry too much" said Auxiliadora as she smiled at her friend, who didn't believe her but decided not to press it. "Alright class, we are learning the Alohamora spell today. Who knows what this spell does?" asked the professor as Auxiliadora raised her hand. "Yes ?" the professor asked. "It unlocks doors and locks" she said shyly as the professor nodded his head. "Very good. 10 points to Slytherin" he said with a smile. She beamed in pride and when they began to practice, she was a little surprised to find that she was very good at Charms. "Ah Ms. Liddell, that's not a surprise that you managed to get it on the first try. You have your mother's talent" said the professor. "And because I study a lot sir" she said as he nodded. "10 more points to Slytherin" said the professor. When class ended, she left with Ashley to find Tom standing outside the door.

Ashley glared at him but he gave an innocent look and seemed to be close to tears. Ashley sighed as Auxiliadora rushed over to him. "What's wrong Tom?" she exclaimed. "Dalmascus burned your sketchbook. You left it on the table at breakfast" he said softly as Ashley and Auxiliadora gasped. "No..." breathed Auxiliadora as she crumbled to the ground. Ashley glared at Tom. "How do we not know that you did it Riddle?" she hissed as his emotionless eyes locked on her. "Why would I do something that would hurt my friend?" he said coldly. "Because there's something not right about you Riddle!" she spat back until Auxiliadora rose to her feet. Her lithe frame was shaking in rage as her elegant hands curled up into violent fists. "Lia..." breathed Ashley as she saw her friend's temper rise. "Take me to him Tom" she said through barely constrained anger. As Tom led her away, he glanced back at Ashley and gave a light smirk before they disappeared from view.

When Auxiliadora met with Dalmascus, he sneered when he saw them. "What did you do to my sketchbook?" she snarled, taking him by surprise. Tom stood by and watched the scene unfold with small interest. "I didn't do anything you traitor!" Dalmascus snarled back as he rose to his feet. "Liar!" she screamed as she did the most muggle thing she had ever done: she had punched him in the face. "You burned it! You destroyed my sketchbook!" she spat as she kept punching him with all her rage. "So what if I did?" he yelled back over her punches. "Those are my thoughts, my emotions. You have no right to intrude upon them!" she snapped as she kicked him in the stomach before pulling out her wand. "How dare you...how dare you" she said shaking with rage as her already bright emerald eyes burned brighter with her rage. "You will rue the day you messed with me and my sketchbook" she hissed as she hit him with a Color Change Charm that her brother had taught to her years ago.

Looking back at Tom, he motioned for her to leave the crumpled, bloodied body of the 7th year Slytherin and follow him. She stayed silent and he didn't care to speak. When she saw her friends, Ashley narrowed her eyes at Tom but when she caught sight of the fragile state her friend was in she had put aside her anger and hugged her. "What happened?" asked Penelope as her eyes widened with worry. "Dalmascus...he...he...burned my sketchbook" said Auxiliadora through sorrowful sobs. Audrey frowned deeply, her gaze briefly glancing over to Tom but then returning to focus on her distraught friend. "It'll be ok" said Isabella as she rubbed her friend's back in a comforting motion. When she finally calmed down, her friends had told her that they were looking for her at dinner, but didn't find her so they came to look for her.

"I missed dinner?" Auxiliadora exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Yes. It's now time to head back to our dormitories" said Ashley as she began to lead her friend away, away from Tom. His eyes narrowed dangerously at Ashley as she glanced back over her shoulder to watch him while they walked away. It had become the start of an unspoken war between the two of them. Auxiliadora, exhausted from fighting and crying, went and lied down. The moment she closed her eyes, the haunting face of the pale snake man came to her. Her body was once more filled with excruciating pain, her heart feeling like it was being ripped in half. She writhed in pain on her bed, sweating and softly pleading for it to stop. An ominous hissing met her ears and the pain subsided, causing her to open her eyes. Standing up, she fell over from the amount of lingering pain that her body was in. The ghostly pain prevented her from being able to fall back asleep. Her fear had grown and her mind felt ripped in half between normalacy and paranoia. Crying silently, she began to ask why this was happening to her, what she had done to deserve this._ 'These dreams have to mean something, at night they come alive and I begin to lose control, tearing at my sheets to save my soul'_ she thought sorrowfully.

_'But...who was that man?'  
><em>

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><p><em>Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed! I should be updating again shortly, so keep an eye out for it :)<br>_


	4. My Gift

_Author's note: I'm sorry that it took awhile for this to be updated. I had this chapter all written then accidentally closed it out without saving and became super busy and couldn't update_

_I'd like to thank carolinagirl2 and Aalyrial for their reviews! Every time I see that I have reviews and likes, it makes me happy and I find the inspiration to write. So thanks guys, it means a lot :D_

**_Chapter fun fact:_**_ this chapter will have a twin chapter later in the story _

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story and my characters. Tom Riddle, Hogwarts, and the rest of the Wizarding World belongs to J.K Rowling. The title of this song comes from yet another Blood On The Dance Floor song of the same name. _**

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><p>Tom Riddle had always been different, a fact that everyone around him knew and he himself at the young age of eleven knew. It was a truth that he embraced and took advantage of. So when Professor Dumbledore came to him from Hogwarts and told him he was a wizard, he wasn't surprised. Merely enticed by the prospect of furthering his abilities.<p>

At Hogwarts, he was still different. Despite being in a sea of magical students, there was something that was different, something that set him apart from the others. It mattered not whether those around him liked him or no, he needed no one. However there was one girl who stood out in that sea of people. A girl he had his cold gaze on. Her bright emerald eyes sparkled as she laughed with her friend Ashley on the far side of the breakfast table. Raven locks that framed her heart shaped face and made her porcelain skin stand out flawlessly. He narrowed his eyes and saw that there were shadows under her eyes, a sign that she hadn't slept the previous night.

With a light shrug, he rose to his feet and headed towards Potions. The girl named Auxiliadora was a mere acquaintance. Her existence meant little to him as he was fine on his own. But he kept her around because she was the only person who was kind to him, who seemed to trust him despite the whispers from her friends. As he set up his cauldron, he heard light footsteps approach him. "Hello Tom" came the soft, airy voice of Auxiliadora as she smiled brightly at him. His face was impassive as he nodded his greeting towards her.

When class began, the professor made it known that they would be making an Aging Potion and that they would be working in groups with those sitting beside them. Tom briefly wondered if Auxiliadora was any good at Potions, preparing himself to have to step in and take over should she fail. He heard the class scoff when they were told one of them would have to drink their completed potion. Glancing at the dreadfully short girl beside him, he wordlessly began to work. She often would beat him to putting the ingredients into the cauldron, something that sent his fury ablaze. How dare she be quicker than him! It was an injustice to him and he was ready to do something about it when the teacher came by and beamed at the duo. "Ms. Liddell, you and Mr. Riddle have perfected this potion! Is there someone in your family that is a master potioneer?" asked the professor. She shyly smiled at the professor, an action that infuriated him even more.

She was weak, both emotionally and physically. Her thin frame held the look of one who was malnourished and could break with even the slightest touch. "My father is a master potioneer sir. He taught myself and my siblings in the art of potion making" she said gently. "You have inherited his talent. You will do many great things" said the professor with a warm smile as he walked away. Turning back towards Tom, she offered to drink the potion. "And why, pray tell, should I allow you to do such a thing?" he asked calmly. "You worked on the potion, I'll drink it" he said with contempt in his voice. She didn't speak up and as he sipped the potion, she watched as his features began to morph.

He now stood before her at 6', his dark hair becoming wavy and some wisps of hair fell a few inches above his left eyebrow but still styled in the same way he had when he was eleven. Tom's cheek bones became more defined and his face lost its boyish appearance while his cold gaze bore into Auxiliadora's surprised and slightly horrified expression. "You..." she whispered softly before turning around and running from the classroom. Raising an eyebrow, the form disappeared leaving an eleven year old Tom standing there with a smirk present on his face. Her reaction amused him as he chuckled and packed up his belongings before following her lead, leaving the classroom.

"Lia, are you alright?" he asked quietly when he approached her. Tears were streaming down her face as she held her head, tormented by her thoughts. 'Pathetic...simply pathetic. She's weak' he thought as he watched her pick her head up. "I had a dream the other night that you opened up this chamber" she said softly. Sitting beside her crouched, small form, he sighed. "Dreams are dreams Lia. You'd do well to remember that" he said, his tone mocking and she shook her head. "I know" she said as she whipped her tears away. "Thank you Tom" she said as she placed a piece of paper in his hand. He said nothing and she practically danced away from him, his gaze locked onto her form until it disappeared.

He was always different, he could make those around him suffer if he wanted but there was one girl who he found would not be hurt. She wasn't mean like the others, she treated him kindly. But this idea was foreign to him, he couldn't grasp it and it angered him. He needed a solution to this troubling problem that seemed to never end. Following her once more, he saw her pressed up against a wall by Dalmascus. "Its because of your little friend that Fran is hospitalized" he hissed as he held her against the wall harshly. Her frail body shook with fear as Tom approached her. "Leave her" he said softly. Dalmascus snarled and went to attack him before he suffered the same fate that befell Fran. Auxiliadora watched in horror as Tom relentless made the man before them suffer with no words. The world drowned out as she stared at the body writhing on the floor with tears streaming down his face. "Stop it" she said softly. Tom never heard her and continued to glare daggers at Dalmascus while he cried in pain. "Stop it!" she cried loudly.

Tom glanced at her, still with the agonizing screams in the background. "He hurt you" said Tom simply. "I never wanted this! I just wanted to be left alone! Tom stop this. You're hurting him" she said, the tears fresh as she heard the harsh hissing from her nightmares echoing in her head. When the screams finally stopped, she saw that Dalmascus was now an inch away from death. "You monster" she said before she ran away. Tom watched her run away from him for the last time before he turned around and walked the opposite direction. Their fragile friendship was shattered. It would take 4 years for her to talk to him again.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it<em>


	5. Pandemonium

_Author's Note: As penance for not updating sooner, I have updated twice :) My sincerest apologies that it took so long. _

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my story and the characters I created. Tom Riddle and the World of Harry Potter belong to J.K Rowling.**_

_Music of this chapter: Pandemonium- Chris Vrenna off the "American Mcgee's Alice" soundtrack_

_italics=Flashback_

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><p>It was the start of her third year at Hogwarts, two years passing since the ending of her and Tom Riddle's fragile friendship. Her heart broke as she saw him across the table sitting with a few other Slytherins."Lia, you look like you haven't slept in days. What's wrong?" asked Ashley as she put some eggs into her mouth. "You remember the nightmares I've been having since first year?" she said quietly. Ashley nodded and sipped at her drink. "They've gotten worse. The pain is almost unbearable. I feel like my mind is being ripped apart, my sanity is slipping. Not to mention last night I had a nightmare that a girl died here at Hogwarts" she said as she rubbed her eyes. Auxiliadora had grown to be an even 5' tall and her face became slender with plump lips. Her form was curvaceous and her raven locks now came to just below her shoulder blades, the only thing that stayed the same since first year was her bright emerald eyes.<p>

Ashley sighed and gave her friend a pat on the shoulder. "It's just a dream. They mean nothing. Perhaps you are imagining things?" she asked. "No I'm not Ash, because the other night I woke up to this" she said, shyly showing her friend the gnarled scar that was formed on her left wrist. It was faint, but if one looked hard enough they would see the faintest outline of an intricate design of a serpent eating its own tail. It was so faint that Ashley had to pretty much press her face up against the skin of Auxiliadora's arm to make it out. "This isn't normal" she said softly as Ashley glanced back at her. "No it's not, but I do not know what to tell you Lia. I know you're still hurting from the lack of friendship with Riddle but you shouldn't let it get to you. He isn't worth the trouble and he's become a bit...off lately. Those people he hangs out with...they aren't really friends" she said quietly before hushing up when Tom's menacing gaze turned to them. Auxiliadora looked away and rose to her feet. "Tell me something Lia, have you ever gotten a new sketchbook after the Dalmascus incident?" Ashley asked, her eyes narrowing to slits at Tom before he turned away.

The look Tom had shot them froze the very blood that coursed through Auxiliadora's veins. It was a sign that bad things were to happen this year, there'd be no escaping his wrath now. Their fight was still fresh in her mind and she'd be a liar if she said she wasn't worried. Ashley caught the looks Penelope, Audrey, and Isabella were shooting them from their respective tables but not moving from their seats like they had in second year which ended in the rift between Auxiliadora and Tom to expand to great lengths.

_Penelope shot her distressed friend a sympathetic glance before noticing Isabella and Audrey rise to their feet and approach the Slytherin table to sit with their ostracized friend. Ashley smiled sadly as Penelope joined them and sat down. At that moment the ticking of the clock began as all eyes at the table narrowed dangerously at the trio of intruders in their midst. The worst glare came from none other than Tom Marvolo Riddle as when they met his glare, the temperature of the room dropped drastically. Isabella held her head in pain as everyone looked at her in fright. "What's wrong Bella?" asked Ashley frantically. "It feels like...something is stabbing me in the head with a knife and twisting it" she said through gritted teeth. Audrey looked up to see Tom hadn't broken eye contact with Isabella and behind his eyes burned icy flames of malice. When the pain finally subsided from Isabella's head, she shakily glanced back at Tom who had turned his gaze to Audrey and made her succumb to the same agonizing pain that Isabella had. "Stop this!" hissed Ashley as Tom ignored her pleas. The rest of the Slytherin table just laughed at their pain, not knowing exactly what was going on but knowing that the intruders deserved the fates they were suffering.  
><em>

_After Audrey, Tom had done the same thing to Ashley, and finally Penelope. He stared at them, cold and unmoving when he was done before meeting Auxiliadora's teary eyes. The look that flashed in his eyes made her recoil as if she were burned with the hottest flame. It was a clear warning that needn't be spoken. Her breath halted as she collected her items and her friends before rushing out of the Dining Hall with the thunderous echos of the Slytherins taunting them every step of the way.  
><em>

"I never got a replacement for my sketchbook Ashley...my parents never knew it was destroyed" she said quietly. "If you don't mind me asking, why is such a trivial thing so important to you?" asked Ashley as they left the Dining Hall. Once free of the chains of her fellow peers, Auxiliadora became more lively and energetic. She was free of the ever present malicious and ominous gaze of Tom Riddle. "My great-great-grandmother owned that book when she was younger. It was an heirloom, one that was charmed to never age and, when it was full, to automatically transport finish works into a portfolio. When it was given to me after Admeta grew too old for it, it was cleared out. There was a legend behind that sketchbook too" she said as she began to walk through the corridors, her steps appearing to be a dance to music only she could hear. Ashley smiled and shook her head at her friend's antics. "A legend? Of what?" asked Ashley as the duo headed towards Care of Magical Creatures. "Have you ever heard of Ouroboros?" she asked. "The Muggle Alchemy symbol? Yes I have heard a few things about it" Ashley responded.

"To the bearer of Ouroboros wields unyielding power, never ending. To those who harness its power great things come, but danger lurks. Power stolen is power gained" she recited as she turned to face Ashley. "Any idea as to what it means?" asked Ashley. "I don't know. It was always something that I thought my grandmother had written down as some saying" said Auxiliadora with a sigh. "With this legend comes the legendary artifact titled the Ouroboros ringlet that only shows itself to those who have a heritage of being bearers of it" Auxiliadora said excitedly. "Do you really believe in such petty fantasies Liddell?" came an acidic voice from behind her. Whirling around, she saw one of the older Slytherins glaring at her. It was a male who could rival Tom in the malicious glint in the eye contest. His blonde hair was long and tidy, not a strand out of place. His clothes were immaculate and the malicious chocolate eyes expressed the burning desire to tear her asunder for fraternizing with the enemy. Ashley glared and the boy scoffed. "Filthy Mudblood. How is it you got into the pure-blood legacy of Salazar Slytherin?" he snarled. "Be quiet Ronald" snapped Ashley. "How dare you speak to me!" he hissed. "McDougal, leave my friend alone" said Auxiliadora as she stood up to him.

"A mudblood and a blood traitor...this school is going to the dogs. The noble house of Slytherin has been tainted" Ronald snarled. "By people like you"Auxiliadora said defiantly. "Care to say that again?" he said with narrowed eyes. The flames that Ashley had come to know as Auxiliadora's wrath flared up as she stared down Ronald. "You are pathetic" he said, a response that garnered him a swift kick in his nether regions. "LIA! That was not very lady like" Ashley scolded behind a smile. "I don't care" said Auxiliadora as she kicked him in the stomach. "Don't you ever speak bad about my friends or myself ever again Mr. McDougal. I've quite had enough of you and the rest of our house always speaking ill of me and who I speak with. It is none of your concern and you should concern yourself with your schoolwork. I heard you are failing Charms" she hissed dangerously as they walked off.

"Well, regis filia ira, that was quite a show" said Ashley with a teasing grin. "Ash, what does that mean?" asked Auxiliadora when they finally made their way to Care of Magical Creatures. "Princess of Wrath in Latin. My parents made me take study that language on my free time" she said with a groan. "Aww poor Ashley" teased Auxiliadora before their teacher showed up. Her joyful mood crashed and burned the very moment Tom Riddle stepped in the room. She watched him with suspicious eyes as he made his way to the professor, softly speaking with him. Ashley caught her friend staring at him and gently elbowed her. "He doesn't take this class...does he?" she whispered to Auxiliadora. "No Ms. Greene, I do not take this class" he hissed sharply as he narrowed his cold eyes at her on his way out of the classroom. "Good" she spat before he walked out, but not before the sound of blood curdling screams met his ears and the smell of burning flesh filled the room.

Auxiliadora stared in deadly silence with a horrified expression when she saw her friends hand catch on fire. The professor tried in vain to put it out, but Auxiliadora got the sick feeling in her stomach that Tom had willed that spell to not go out until he was far enough away. When the flames died down, and Ashley had screamed her voice raw, Auxiliadora gasped in shock at the blistered, fiery red, mangled right hand of her friend. Ashley's eyes continued to leak tears as she cradled her hand. "Get her to the Hospital Wing" urged the professor as he sent them both out of class. Tears streamed down their faces as all Auxiliadora could think of was why would he keep this torment up? What had she done to make his wrath explode? She had half a mind to find Tom and make him apologize, but fear kept her rooted to her spot and the knowledge that he would never apologize burned worse then flames of blue hue. On the first day of school this happened and she knew, somewhere deep inside, that it was only going to get worse. A lot worse.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed :)<em>


	6. Umbral Ultimatum

_Author's Note: Thank you so much to Aalryial who reviewed on my last two chapters! It means so much that you truly enjoy this story, hearing that makes me want to write so much more. And I shall be trying to make each of these chapters a bit longer :)_

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story and my characters. Tom Riddle and the world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling!_**

_Song for the chapter: **Umbral Ultimatum** from **Homestuck vol. 6: Heir Transparent**_

_italics= thoughts_

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><p>Weeks passed since the burning of Ashley's hand in the Care of Magical Creatures class at the hands of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Her hand was fully healed but bore a faint scar from where the flames' heat was centered. Even though she had been in pain, though she had come dangerously close to losing all feeling in her hand, Ashley still smiled. She refused to let Tom Riddle think he beat her and so she refused to let her stop being happy.<p>

This decision was also in part due to Auxiliadora's infectious energy. After the incident, Auxiliadora had refused to be sad about it any longer than a week since Ashley insisted she had to be her usual self otherwise she'd feel bad about making Auxiliadora worry. "I'm fine, really Lia. You needn't worry so much" said Ashley as she cradled her bandaged hand. "But Ashley-" Auxiliadora started, worry evident in her bright eyes. "Oh be quiet will you Lia? You honestly worry way too much about your friends" said Ashley. "Didn't you ever wonder what my name meant? Why my parents chose to name their children Latin names?" asked Auxilidora as she hung upside down from a tree branch on one of the many trees on the grounds.

Ashley began to question her actions until she realized that Auxiliadora had charmed her skirt so that when she turned upside down it would not lift up and expose clothing that was not meant for public eyes. "Because your parents are weird?" asked Ashley as she waved to Isabella, Audrey and Penelope. "Well yes that is very true Ashley, but my name means 'She Who Protects and Helps' and my middle name means 'Goddess of War'" she said as she flipped off the branch and landed beside Ashley once the whole group was together. "So that explains your temper" said Audrey cheekily. Auxiliadora stuck her tongue out as she saw Daniel Riegel walk by. "Danny!" she said happily before running towards her friend and hugging him. The raven haired, sun kissed, slender boy just rolled his eyes with a small smile before returning the hug. "Bel, what on earth do you think you're doing?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Hugging you?" she responded innocently. "Bel?" questioned Penelope as she walked over with the other girls. "Oh it's from my middle name" said Auxiliadora as she saw Daniel's girlfriend, Hannah, walk over.

Both of the first years were Gryffindors and Hannah was the beauty of her year. Her sleek chocolate hair was down just below her shoulders and her kind hazel eyes showed all the warmth she held inside her heart. Sometimes Audrey and Isabella had to question just how someone could be so filled with kindness that they are self-sacrificing, but that's what drew people in about Hannah. "Your hand. How is it healing Ashley?" asked Hannah with concern lacing her words. "It's fine now. Occasionally it still stings, but I can move it luckily" she said with a grim smile. Auxiliadora knew that the atmosphere around everyone was tense and she also knew that everyone was only acting happy on the request of Ashley.

"What does your brothers name mean?" asked Isabella with the faintest blush on her face. Auxiliadora smirked and poked her friends cheek. "Aww Bella has a crush on my brother!" she squealed as her friend swatted her hand away. "Shush Lia!" she said harshly before trying to hide her face behind her curtain of hair. "His name means 'one who loves' by the way. My sister's name means 'untamed'. She was named that because she, like myself, has a fiery temper and so far no man has ever been able to handle her. They wish to control her and she won't stand for it" explained Auxiliadora. "But how will she ever get married?" cried Penelope. Auxiliadora shrugged with a lopsided grin. "She won't marry anyone she doesn't love Penelope. If a man wishes to be with her, he must allow her her freedom. My sister is strong, I want to be just like her when I'm older" said Auxiliadora.

"That's all well and good but that doesn't explain why your nickname with Daniel is 'Bel' but with us it's 'Lia'" said Ashley with a frown. "Like I said, my middle name" said Auxiliadora as her eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of Ronald and his cronies, Gregory Fredrickson and Joseph Thomas. Gregory was a lanky older Slytherin with dark hair and eyes to match with the most malicious, feral smirk plastered on his sharp face. Joseph was a head shorter than Gregory and bulkier, but with lighter brown hair and sharper, more feral looking blue eyes. The look in his eyes gave the impression that he wasn't all there in his head, even the slightest insult would set him off.

Matching their fierce looks, she came to stand before her friends defiantly. "Move traitor. We're here for them" spat Ronald as he pointed to Daniel and Hannah. "No" said Auxiliadora. His cronies moved a step forward before he put his hand up to stop them, his eyes narrowing. "No?" he asked, as if the concept was too difficult to grasp. A pudgy, dirty blonde haired girl came to hang off Joseph's shoulder, her stormy eyes alight with insanity as she glared daggers at Hannah and Daniel. "Move it you worthless girl" she snarled, her Slytherin robes swaying with her angry, jittery movements. _'Something's not right about her'_ Auxiliadora thought as she narrowly dodged a spell.

Pulling out her own wand, she sighed as she had hoped to never have to use it to attack anyone. Her wand was made of cherry wood and stood at 7 1/2" tall with a dragon's heart string as its core. Quickly sifting through her knowledge of spells her parents had taught her, as self defense for they knew she'd have trouble in school due to their 'Blood Traitor' status. There was one hanging off the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't think of it and so dodged yet another spell. Turning around, she glanced at her friends. "You guys need to leave" she said quickly. "Oh no you don't" screeched the girl, Emily McCallistor, as she rushed forward and grabbed a fistful of Hannah's hair.

"Why are you doing this? This is just evil, even by Slytherin's standards" cried Auxiliadora. "We're just teaching the students a lesson" cackled Emily as she grinned evilly. "You do not fraternize with the enemy Liddell. This is what happens" said Joseph with his wand pointed at Daniel's throat. "You're hurting them to prove a point to me?" Auxiliadora screamed incredulously. "Of course" said Gregory as he kicked Audrey in the ribs. Hearing her friends cry out in pain, her body shook with rage and she pointed her wand at the nearest person, Joseph, before screaming out. "Expelliarmus!" she snarled before his wand flew out of his hand. "Accio Wand!" said Auxiliadora as she grabbed his wand without giving him a chance to get it back. "Expelliarmus" screeched Emily as Auxiliadora's wand went flying out of her hand.

"Stand down" snarled Ronald. "No. These are my friends. You have no right to harm them just because of my choices" Auxiliadora said defiantly. "Are they worth suffering for?" asked Ronald as he lowered his wand. "Yes. They were there for me when I needed them and I will defend them even if it means fighting the Muggle way. I am not as weak as I appear and I do not take kindly to having my friends treated like scum" she said, her voice strong and determined. It was one of those moments where her friends wondered just why she wasn't placed in Gryffindor like the rest of her family. "You don't have big brother around to protect you anymore" hissed Gregory as he circled her. "I never needed Amadore to protect me. He chose to because I was his little sister, but surely you underestimate me" she said with a wicked grin. In a flash she broke his nose and swung him into Ronald, causing the release of her wand. Snatching it up, she stunned the group before rushing her friends away from them.

"Lia..." Isabella spoke softly. Holding her shoulder, Auxiliadora hissed in pain as the singe from Joseph's fire spell had burnt through her clothes and her flesh. "I didn't even realize he cast that" she said through gritted teeth. "I saw him do that just as they went to come after us. You must have a high pain threshold" said Hannah as she tried to stop the blood. "No...I was just really angry" Auxiliadora spoke softly. "Does your entire family fight this much?" teased Penelope. "No, just mother, me and big sister do" she said with a warm smile as they up to the hospital wing. "Why are there always dangerous events happening to us?" asked Audrey. "Because the Pure Bloods of Slytherin hate me and my family for being, as they call, 'Blood Traitors'. We were never hateful towards Muggle-borns or Muggles, thus we embraced their culture. I learned hand to hand combat because of them" explained Auxiliadora. "But why us?" questioned Daniel.

"You are all of different houses and so long as you are friends with me you'll always be constant targets" Auxiliadora spoke softly. "My sister had trouble with Joseph's sister, Ronald's brother, Gregory's twin brother and sister, and Emily's two older brothers and older sister back when she was here. I was often told that I was very much like my older sister, this only proves it" she said as they entered the Hospital Wing. The healer almost cried when she saw the burn on Auxiliadora's shoulder. "Their families have always been intertwined with my family ever since my great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents came here. Each generation became more spiteful towards my family and their Muggle embracing ways however. It has always been a family war between us, but it became worse when my sister was here" she said quietly as she let the healer do her job.

"What happened?" asked Hannah as she held Daniel's hand. "Emily's one older brother, Marcus, he had his way with my sister" said Auxiliadora through gritted teeth. "Emily's whole family suffers from mental illness as they had all been inbred" she explained. Everyone stared at her in horror. "How do you know this?" asked Isabella, her voice as light as the wind itself. "Because when my sister had to have the baby, it was deformed, physically, emotionally, and mentally. My sister still loved him though, however Marcus killed him in a drunken stupor" she spoke so softly that everyone had to strain to hear her. Hannah tried to hold back the bile that was rising up from her stomach.

"After, he had threatened to kill my sister if she ever spoke of that again. My family didn't know at the time, however one night she broke down and my sister was always strong, hardly ever shedding tears. I remember walking in, I was about 3 I believe. Admeta had just graduated from Hogwarts when all this had happened, she was only 17. I couldn't believe what I was told, though at the time I couldn't understand anything she meant. Her family still to this day denies these events ever happened" Auxiliadora said as tears fell from her eyes.

"Amadore...he tried to save Admeta, only to be caught by Joseph's sister, Lilith. Their older siblings were all involved in this. They wanted to make my sister suffer for denying Ronald's brother, Richard's, advances. It was an arranged marriage, one my parents made blindly hoping to settle this conflict between families, but Admeta called it off and it enraged Richard. That whole group...they're as evil as they come" she said as she wiped her tears. Her friends stared at her in horrified shock, not knowing what to do. "So...you're whole family has lived with their torment for years?" asked Daniel. "Yes. Only now...its worse, much worse. An outsider is causing torment on me by going after you all, and they dare not speak out against him because he holds far more power than they will ever begin to grasp" she spoke prophetically.

Everyone glanced at each other before hugging their somber friend. Knowing a bit of her family history made them realize that life had never been easy for her, in fact, it was downright horrible. But yet she held strong and fought until the end to see a better day. Hannah stroked her hair as she lightly kissed the top of her head, hoping to soothe the pain. "We will fight beside you Lia. You are our friend as much as we are yours" said Isabella. "Yes. Your strength and courage is that of a Gryffindor's and it is admirable" said Hannah as Penelope agreed. "No matter what, we'll always stand by your side" Penelope said as they all hugged their friend.

A pair of eyes watched them from around the corner, narrowing at the scene before them. Yet again she turned from him, turned towards those friends of hers. It sickened him and he couldn't see why he wasn't good enough, why his sole company was never enough for her. Why would she want anyone else's attention? She was too smart and with hidden untapped power, he would be the only person she should ever need. Rage bubbled up under his calm surface, not knowing why he felt this way towards her, she who called him a monster for protecting her. With a swish of his robes, he was gone from the scene.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed :)<em> 


	7. Heart Of Darkness

_Author's Note: In this chapter I have used a character from a different series, a cartoon series. His appearance holds meaning to this story, so do not fret. He isn't there for shiggles, I do have a deeper meaning for him to appear. _

_For those of you who can guess who it is and know his role in the series he's from, you'll have an idea as to what role he'll play here, although albeit different._

**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story and my own created characters. Tom Riddle and the Harry Potter world belong to J.K. Rowling._**

_song of the chapter: **Heart of Darkness** by Chris Vrenna from the **American Mcgee's Alice** soundtrack_

_italics= thoughts_

**_bold +italics= hissing voice_**

**bold= seductive and cold disembodied voice**

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><p>The sound of clicking echoed around the darkened area, no light to be found. Auxiliadora found herself in some form of cave, the exit so far behind her that she could barely see it. Movement from above caused her to jump back, the sound of chilling laughter surrounded her.<p>

"My, my. It's not everyday someone just pops in to visit" came a cold, seductive voice. It lured her further into the darkness. "Who's there?" asked Auxiliadora. "You do not remember? Oh well that won't do" said the voice as the sounds of clicking and movement neared her. "You have met me once before. Or was that your great-great-great grandmother?" taunted the voice. "Where am I?" asked a panicking Auxiliadora. "Yet another face for my collection" said the voice. She was drawn to the voice like a moth to a flame, its cold and unfeeling yet velvety melodic notes weaved in and out of her ears, buzzing in her brain and clouding her mind.

'_**Do not show emotion'**_ hissed another voice, one in the darkest reaches of her mind.

_'Who is there?'_ she thought in her mind as she tried to see through the darkness.

_**'Do not show emotion to the Face Stealer'**_ hissed the voice before it vanished in the darkness.

Glancing around, she kept an impassive expression. "So it seems you have found out the trick" came the voice again. "Why won't you show me who you are?" she cried out, her cries echoing off the walls. "In due time, but for now what I'd really love most is for you to add to my collection" said the voice, the way it said 'collection' chilling her to the very core before the scene changed and brought her to the graveyard, the scene in which she suffered immense pain for the past three years.

As usual, the vibrant flash of light caused her the burning pain that tore her mind apart. _'Why?'_ she thought as she silently screamed in the dark of the night. _'Why does this happen to me?'_.

_**'You have power'**_ hissed the voice from before.

_'Power?'_ she asked as tears streamed down her face.

_**'Power is granted, not sought. You have been destined to live this life a thousand times'**_ hissed the voice.

The pain grew worse and she doubled over in pain, clutching her heart as blood streamed down her arms. The crimson rivers made her cry more, wishing for this to end.

_**'In the House of Slytherin lies the heir. His power immense, his cruelty great. Out from the shadows his puppet is born, a power only she can control. Seeking to harness its power, he will lead all into oblivion'**_ hissed the voice.

Her energy was drained and she struggled to pull herself up from the ground, hearing murmurs from around her. The snake like male stood above her once more, a sight she had long since been accustomed too, watching in sadistic glee as she writhed in pain. In his eyes there was the slightest hidden piece of sorrow before it was snuffed out by malice. His face contorted hideously as he roared in rage and a woman stood beside him, dark curls cascading down her sharp face as her feral dark eyes narrowed.

She pulled a knife from her dress and straddled her fallen body, leaning over her and beginning to carve words into her arm. The blade was searing hot, as if she had stuck it in flames before using it and as she screamed out, she saw no one moved to help her. The words were blurry and illegible, no matter how hard she strained to see what was being written. The more she screamed, the more the woman on top of her cackled. Her master stood above the duo, his smirk never leaving his face. In his hand was a wand, a wand that looked as if it were made from the bone of a human. A large snake slithered around her body, hissing angrily at her and awaiting the orders from her master: the order to strike and devour.

With all the pain in her eyes, she tried to plead with the man but to no avail. Leaning over her bloodied and shattered body, he hissed at her. "You betrayed me little one". Suddenly it was light and Auxiliadora saw she was in her bed at Hogwarts: safe and sound. It was just a dream, one that had progressed further than it ever had the past two years. A sharp, burning pain erupted from her left wrist, causing her to pull the covers back to look.

The serpent scar from the last dream was more defined than it had been yesterday. Still difficult to see, though one did not have to strain as hard to see it. It burned and looked irritated so she rose to her feet and walked silently to the bathroom. Flushing water onto the scar, she noticed her face was tear-streaked and puffy from crying. Her throat felt raw from screaming and when she looked back at her scar, she thought that she heard that seductive voice.

**'In time we will meet and when we do, I look forward to having you see my collection. Perhaps even join it'**

**** the words spoken were ominous and made Auxiliadora nervous. Whoever was speaking to her wasn't kind, it held malicious intent woven deeply under silky words. What was happening to her? She was falling apart ever since she came to Hogwarts, her family's troubles becoming the troubles of her friends. Her life had become dangerous and she couldn't help but fear it. Pools of tears gathered around her hands on the porcelain sink as she trembled. The darkness that was hidden in her heart grew and pounded at her heart to be set free. She collapsed to the floor, her sorrow overtaking her as her limbs went limp. Her breathing slowed as a dreadful peace washed over her. Shutting her eyes, the world became dark.

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><p><em>Author's note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! :)<em>


	8. Requiem of Peace

_Author's Note: So what...does this make my third update in one day? Its a new record! Anyway, here's more of an important filler chapter._

**_Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides my story and my characters. Tom Riddle and the rest of the wizarding world belong to J.K. Rowling._**

_song of the chapter: **When Ginny Kissed Harry** from the Harry and The Half Blood Prince OST_

_This is a chapter from the POV of Tom Riddle_

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><p>"Will she be alright?" asked Ashley as she glanced at the healer before her in the Hospital Wing. "Her breathing is fine, but her head is in bad condition. Her body is under immense stress, do you know what could have done this?" asked the healer. "No Madam. I awoke to see her passed out on the floor of the bathroom in our dormitory. It was really early in the morning and I know I shouldn't have been out of the dorm at such a time, but she needed help. If it weren't for Riddle, I wouldn't have been able to get here without trouble" she said as her voice broke recalling the memory. "It seems as if she has been cursed. Only one of the Unforgivable Curses could do this to one's body. It may take a long time for her to heal, or she may never heal" said the healer, speaking as if it killed her to admit such a terrifying fact.<p>

The doors of the wing opened and Tom Riddle strode in, his gaze falling on Auxiliadora's unconscious body. A glimmer of sorrow and regret flashed in his eyes before it vanished and was replaced by the usual cold expression. "Is she alright?" he asked calmly. "She'll be unconscious for awhile Mr. Riddle. She may never fully heal though" said the healer as she walked away. Ashley felt uncomfortable being in the same room as Tom Riddle, especially after what he had done to her hand, but she couldn't leave her friend. "Ms. Greene, I'm sorry about your hand" he said softly but he never tore his gaze from Auxiliadora. "Why would you help her?" she asked him pointedly.

"You haven't spoken to her since first year and even then all you did was manipulate her" she said, gently stroking her friends hand. "I never manipulated her Ms. Greene. She was the first friend I ever had, I ensured her safety" he said, his tone made of steel. "You hurt her" she spat. "I never intended to I can ensure you" said Tom as he glanced at her. If he were one to admit such weaknesses, he would've admitted that Ashley Greene was a beautiful Slytherin. She had changed over the summer. Sun kissed skin with golden rays of hair, small yet delectable lips. But he had no interest in such things and so he pushed those thoughts away. The only thing that mattered was the fate of the girl before him, the girl who showed him kindness when no one else would. The girl who he knew would've wrote all summer to him instead of leaving him in that desolate orphanage alone had he not frightened her.

Such feelings made him feel pathetic, he had become attached to her. And though she never spoke to him, he watched out for her from the sidelines. When he was all powerful, he would make everyone rue the day they harmed her. And it was these feelings that made him so angry, what caused him to enlist the aid of those foul Slytherins to harm her friends, to keep her safe from their filthy ways. But he knew, though it pained him and infuriated him to admit, it only served to push her away more. The pain he caused her friends in their second year was too great, it made them all wary of him and in turn kept her from him. Tom Marvolo Riddle did not like being told that he could not have what he wanted. Oh no, he would always get what he wanted whether he had to steal it or not.

Ashley was unnerved by the silence between the two Slytherins so much that she rose to her feet. "I shall be taking my leave now. Please watch over her" she said through gritted teeth, a sign he knew that she hated asking him for a favor. He nodded and after she left, he sat down in the chair that Ashley had sat on beside the bed and watched over her. The crinkling in his pocket stirred him from his reverie and he placed a pale, elegant hand in his pocket to pull out the paper that was hiding in his robes. Unfurling the paper, his eyes skimmed the paper. Before him was a beautifully drawn picture of the two of them sitting in the compartment on the train ride to Hogwarts. She had captured his straight faced expression perfectly and he found himself curious as to what other talents did she hide under her frail demeanor?

He had watched her take out Dalmascus in their first year and from a classroom, he had watched her take out Ronald and his cronies. She impressed him, something that he had fought to begrudgingly admit to himself. She appeared weak, fragile, a porcelain doll that if handled the wrong way would shatter into a million pieces. But her temper fueled her strength, transforming her to becoming as her name suggested: a Goddess of War. He smirked when he thought back to her kicking Ronald in the nether regions, her annoyance and rage etched deeply in her eyes. It was power, raw unyielding power that stirred something carnal inside him. He craved that power, wished to control and harness it. But one look at the frail woman before him, he found he could not begin to wish to cause her harm. Of all the people he met, not one had ever affected him so.

"What is so special about you?" he asked calmly, a hint of disgust present. "You are pathetic, frail weak. But then you are strong and graceful, a power I have never known laid to rest inside you" he muttered, reaching over and gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. The sleeve on her left wrist was risen and his analyzing eyes locked on the scar that was etched deeply into her skin. Gently tracing her scar, he was frustrated that he could not place the design. It was too faded to tell just what it was, all he knew was it was from very Dark Magic. How she could have gotten such a scar confused him, and he was not one to enjoy being confused. A letter rested next to her body, her family had tried to contact her. A wave of envy and contempt crashed over him as he tore open the letter and began to read.

_'My dearest baby sister,_

_I am sorry that school has become such a nightmare for you. I wish that I could shield you from the world and its cruelties, but something tells me that you will be able to handle this. You have done so many times before, in many different lives. Your numerous paths have always led you to the same place, but you have never seemed to be able to overcome the destruction that befell the world. I know times seem hard baby sister, I know that the darkness seems to swallow you whole and prevents your escape, but I also know that you were chosen for a reason._

_**Beware the Face Stealer** baby sister. Show him no emotion, not the slightest expression or you will suffer the consequences. He is the demon of your deepest and darkest regrets.__ Do not fall in the same path that claimed Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother before her job was complete. You have a gift, a gift that only the Ouroboros Ringlet will tell you of. You will do many great things, this I know.  
><em>

_Your dreams are not a concern my sister. Fear them not, for they are mere memories. Memories of the past, or is it future? You will need to utilize such memories to complete the task that you were destined for. Pain and suffering has been a common factor with our family, I know its hard to see your sister cry herself to sleep at the tender age of 3, or to witness cruelties done to those you love. But baby sister, you must be strong. Do not lose that light, do not fall from the path. I pray that when you return home for the Christmas Break, that you will have understood your duty._

_Remember, **the sketchbook is the key.**_

_With all the love in the world,_

_Admeta Marie Liddell'_

The letter confused him, but it excited him all at the same time. This girl was full of secrets and knowledge, knowledge that combined with her power made her a prime ally. His calculating eyes glanced over at her and for the briefest, glimmer of a second, he felt remorse for her sketchbook. The very same book that he had taken and pinned it on Dalmascus. With a frustrated sigh, he pulled out the sketchbook and left it on the table beside her. Perhaps this was just his way of repaying her for her kindness, or maybe he didn't like feeling like he owed someone it was, Tom Marvolo Riddle had shown a hint of kindness in those few moments. It made him cringe, knowing that he was showing weakness but he guessed that Auxiliadora deserved it.

Tom had stayed in the hospital wing well into the night and just as he was beginning to drift off to sleep, he heard her stir. She groaned and tried to open her eyes, but found she was in too much pain to do so. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone surprisingly gentle. "I feel horrible" she muttered, her voice hoarse from screaming in her nightmare. He handed her the glass of water that resided on the table beside her. He helped her drink the water before rising to his feet. "I must be going" he said. "Alright. Thank you for visiting Daniel" she said before the pain lulled her back to sleep. His temper flared at being called Daniel, but he knew that if she had known it was him sitting beside her, she would've kicked him out.

For some strange reason, that thought caused a momentary flash of hurt but it went as quickly as it came. Gently shutting the door, he gave her one last glance before he was closed off from her. Turning his back to the hospital wing, he headed back to the dorm as the gears in his mind worked overtime.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for the next update! :D<em>


	9. Village of the Doomed

_Author's Note: I'd like to thank Aalyrial for her wonderful support and for being a loyal reviewer. It is always a pleasure to see the heartwarming reviews from you and I am so glad you enjoy this story. _

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Tom Riddle, the world of harry potter, or Koh the Face Stealer. The first two belong to J.K. Rowling while the last one belongs to the creators of Avatar the last airbender. I'm merely borrowing him for this story._**

_Song of the chapter: **Village of the Doomed ** by Chris Vrenna from the **American Mcgee's Alice soundtrack**_

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><p>Here she was, yet again in the darkness that was home to the spirit known as the Face Stealer. "So you've returned" came the seductive voice she knew belonged to the spirit. Clicking and movement rapidly approached her, but she held her ground with her features held in an emotionless mask. "Please show yourself" she spoke tonelessly. "Now if I were to do that our little game would end? So why is it you have come to seek me out?" asked the voice. She could tell that the voice as a male. "Tell me your name please" she asked.<p>

"Well that is a request I can abide by. My name is Koh, surely you remember me?" Koh asked, a taunting smirk present in his voice. The sound of screaming and bones being crushed as pools of blood splattered around the rocky ground filled her head. Before her she saw the shadow of a woman being entwined by a large centipede as the sounds of the tearing of flesh met her ears. She felt sick and stumbled over, Koh rapidly turning around with the malicious hope that she showed some form of emotion. But alas, she succeeded in keeping her mask up.

"What did you see? I do hope it was a clue" he said as she felt him move behind her. "I can not tell" she muttered. He chuckled darkly as he moved about the darkness, staying out of her sight so she could not see him. "I will make you a deal" Koh said smoothly. "Wake up and do some research and when you sleep, return to me. Repeat to me what you find out and then I shall show myself to you" he said. An inner conflict tore apart as she got the feeling that what Koh said would be a trick. But what choice did she have? "Very well Koh. I shall return" she said and with that, the dream ended.

She opened her eyes to see she was in the hospital wing. "Oh my goodness child! You've finally awoken!" cried the healer. "How long have I been out?" Auxiliadora asked. "You've been out for several months now. Your body has taken quiet a beating from some dark magic, but what bothers me is how you could've succumbed to that" said the healer. "I do not know myself Madam. But I need to go to the library if that is alright with you. Please, it's important" she pleaded. The nurse sighed and then allowed her to go. Stumbling as she rose to her feet, she tried to steady herself before heading towards the library. It must have been during class hours for the halls were deserted and she was lucky to have made it to the library where just a few students resided.

"Excuse me, but do you have a book on foreign spirits?" Auxiliadora asked the librarian politely. "Yes, in the supernatural section of the Muggle area of the library" she said, not looking up from her work. With a nod, she headed towards the Muggle area and proceeded further to find the supernatural. She practically beamed when she found a book titled "Foreign Spirits and their Meanings". Grabbing it, she sat down and flipped through the book. It took her some time but she finally managed to find Koh listed.

_'Koh, also known as the Face Stealer_

_Koh is a malicious entity that prays upon those who show emotion in his midst. Living inside the Village of the Doomed, he lurks in the shadows to await those who are foolish enough to cross him. He is one of the oldest spirits and because of this holds knowledge of many things. Those who look for him often try to use his knowledge for their own gain, but pay the price._

_However, there have been accounts where Koh has shown himself to someone through their dreams. In instances like this, he acts as the manifestation of ones guilt and darkest fears. Praying upon their weaknesses, he tries to get them to lower their guard. If one was to be unlucky enough to encounter him in their dreams, they are advised to show no emotion. Koh will not leave a person be until he has gotten an addition to his "collection" of faces._

_Rachael Anne Liddell was the first known person to document her encounters with Koh before her unfortunate demise. Written below are her experiences with this malicious spirit:_

_**He was dangerous, that much I could tell from just glancing at his centipede form. His face was that of a Japanese Noh mask, his ruby red lips turned up in a smirk. Those obsidian eyes...how they haunt me to this day. They glistened with malicious intent and spoke of his power. His voice was soft and smooth like velvet, it calmed the senses and dulled the mind. It was his way of luring you into his cavern that way you would be away from the exit...so if he lured you far enough there'd be no escape.**_

_**Koh can change his face from a sad young man, to a beautiful woman, to a blue and white ogre mask, to a baboon, an owl, an old man, and finally back to his original Noh mask. Be wary of his words, for what Koh says and what Koh knows are two different things. He will toy with you, manipulate you and try to warp your mind to have you believe foolish words. He also has a habit of changing faces rapidly and is especially fond of the ogre mask in times of rage.**_

_**Despite all this, he is a fountain of information and so long as you can withstand speaking to him with no emotion, not the slightest expression, you should be able to obtain the knowledge you seek. But for those that whose grief and darkness he embodies, he is the sign of bad things to come. He is an omen that warns of grave danger, fragments of sorrow if it were. He is a guardian as well, always appearing in times of grave strife.**_

_**So to all those out there who run into him: proceed with caution and if you feel your control on your mask slipping, leave immediately'**_

Auxiliadora stared at shock at her great-great-great-great-great grandmothers words. She had written this only a few days before her death. The image of a woman being devoured by the spirit named Koh. She rushed to put the book back and then ran back to the hospital wing. Upon arrival, she saw that there was her sketchbook placed by her bed. _'What? but...how?'_ she thought as she picked it up and thumbed through the pages. There on the last page was a drawing she hadn't seen before. It was an intricate black design that formed a serpent eating its tail. Gently tracing it with her fingers, she saw words scribbled underneath it.

_**'The cycle of the serpent is never ending, for upon death one is reborn. With the power of equivalent exchange one shall maintain the cycle, but without greater or equal value it shall cause disastrous effects'**_

"Lia!" came a relieved cry as she turned to see Penelope rushing towards her. Auxiliadora beamed and hugged her friend, tears evident in her eyes. "We thought you'd never wake" she said as she cried into Auxiliadora's shoulder. Ashley and Isabella soon joined. Ashley looked tense and her eyes scanned the room, looking for a sign of someone else. "Who are you looking for Ashley?" asked Isabella. "No one" she said curtly as she smiled at Auxiliadora. "Its good see you up" she said. "So what caused you so much pain Lia?" asked Isabella. Wondering if she should ask them the question that had been bothering her since the nightmares began, she glanced at all their expressions. With a sigh, she glanced at her hands.

"Do you believe in past lives?"

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><p><em>Author's Note: thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	10. My Curse

_Author's note: Well, first off I'd like to apologize for taking so long with this update. Truthfully, this chapter was very difficult to work on because I ended up confusing myself so many times, re-writing, scraping, and trying again with it. However, I think I finally managed to clarify the meaning behind the Avatar the last airbender character I've used here. He shares same name, same appearance, but his job is so much more different and more devious. You'll see why in later chapters._

_Second of all: Thank you to Aalyrial for her constant support! She's a loyal reviewer of mine and her support means a lot to me. She's going to be very helpful in later chapters :)_

_And to the Anonymous reviewer, I love this story: I'm so happy you love my story, it means a lot to see a new reviewer. And yes, the semi-references to ATLA( Avatar: The Last Airbender) and FMA are intentional, though they do not play the same role here as they do in their respective shows._

_Song for this chapter: My Gift and My Curse by Blood On The Dance Floor_

_This is the twin chapter to "My Gift"_

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters and my plot. Harry Potter's world is J.K Rowlings and Koh is from the creators of ATLA_**

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><p>Her friends stared at her, not knowing what to make of the words she had just spoken. They had heard of past lives, but such an abstract concept made them question. "What is this about Lia?" asked Ashley as she narrowed her eyes. "These nightmares I keep having, I keep meeting this spirit who I've found is named Koh and he keeps saying weird things like <em>'Surely you remember me?'<em> and then I flash to this graveyard where I'm tortured into tears with this snake like man standing over me. That particular nightmare has progressed where a woman has taken a knife and carved into my arm. The last thing from that nightmare was _'You betrayed me little one'_" she said.

"I've heard of that spirit. Isn't he a spirit of Asian lore? Koh is especially dangerous and is supposed to mean ill-fortune, but also a knowledge keeper. However I heard that its dangerous to try to get information out of him" said Audrey. Auxiliadora nodded. "yes, because what he says and what he knows are two different things" she explained. "But why is he in your nightmares?" asked Penelope. "He's a sign of darkest fears, guilt and regret. I need to ask him when I see him next" she said. "NO!" cried out Isabella. "He'll kill you" she said in a softer tone.

"He already killed my great-great-great-great-great grandmother. I just need information from him then I'll vanquish him" said Auxiliadora. "How?" asked Audrey. She fell silent and looked out the window to find snow falling from the sky. "I don't know" she said softly. "That's why I need his knowledge. I have no idea what's going on anymore" she said. Ashley sighed and she looked around the room, her gaze landing on Auxiliadora's left wrist. "Lia...look" she said, pointing to the scar. It was now more defined so that someone could effectively see the mark of a serpent eating its own tail. "Its the same mark as in my sketchbook!" she said, looking at the two marks. They were exactly the same, causing Auxiliadora to become confused more. They stayed until the sun fell and it was time for Auxiliadora to venture back to Koh's lair.

When she closed her eyes, she came face to face with the Noh mask face of Koh. "Hello Koh" she said monotonously. "So you have figured it out. My it only took you awhile" he said, hanging upside down in front of her. "May I ask you a few questions?" she asked. "Certainly, but you can't always trust in me" he said with a smirk. "Why are you here?" she asked. He frowned. "You always were brighter than this Rachael. Or is it Auxiliadora? How do I know? you look the same. I am nothing more then the mere embodiment of your darkest regrets and fears." he said indifferently. "But I haven't done anything yet" she said.

He roared and his face turned into the ogre's mask. "You foolish girl! you know nothing of your heritage or of why you are always hurt do you? Rachael was the fool who created the Ouroboros Ringlet and after that she was filled with regret. You know why? Because she doomed the people who were to be the reincarnations of her to a life of pain and heartbreak. Equivalent exchange works in harsh ways" he spat as he came to stand behind her. "The Ouroboros Ringlet allows the user to have immortality by means of rebirth. But in order to gain that one must perform an action of greater or equal value. When she created this artifact, she had cast a spell on certain decendents who would take up her place and protect the artifact" he purred. "Does that make sense?" he asked.

"Yes. But why am I seeing these flashes of me being tortured in a graveyard?" she asked. Koh resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "This is your third repeat of this life. You failed your mission the past two times, getting only to the graveyard and ending up dying" he said. "But why didn't I just reincarnate?" she asked. "You did you foolish girl! Those are memories of your past lives. I am the embodiment of your darkest fears" he snarled. "I am what you fear!" he said with a growl. "Why did I fail my mission?" she asked.

"Oh dear do you not know? You let yourself fall into the hands of the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time. He sapped you of your power, equivalent exchange. Your life for his immortality" Koh spoke with glee. When he got no reaction, he growled and move away from her. "One last question Koh" she stated. "You have asked enough don't you think?" he mentioned. "No. I need to know, why me? Why is my sketchbook the key?" she asked. "That's two, but I'll answer" he purred as he hovered in front of her. "She chose you because she was a seer and saw that you alone could change the Dark Lord's ways. Your sketchbook holds all the answers. Did you never wonder why when it was full it would rip out every page and begin anew? The answers lie where it's hidden" he said. "How do I get rid of you?" she asked. "That's a question you already know the answer to" said Koh as she vanished.

When she opened her eyes, she saw her friends had returned. The healer did not want her to leave until she knew she was one hundred percent healed. She sighed and looked at her friends. "My grandmother, Rachael, first encountered the spirit Koh after creating the Ouroboros Ringlet" she said to her friends, her hair falling over her eyes. "When she created the Ringlet, she unknowingly sacrificed her happiness when she tried to rid her mother of her illness" Auxiliadora explained.

"Equivalent exchange" Audrey muttered. "Yes. The Muggle Alchemist's theory on how alchemy works. She had spent her whole life studying it in order to finally create something to keep her mother alive, but instead it cursed her and her decendents. We were cursed with misfortune for tampering with the forces of nature, for no one should evade death. I know very little of my family's history before my mother. All I know is every woman was marked to be the bearers of the Ouroboros, but in the end, only one would wield its power. According to Koh, it was always meant to be me who would wield it. What is more confusing is that this is my third time through this life. I failed to prevent the destruction of this world...twice. I don't know where I went wrong. But I know that I can only remember bits and pieces of my past lives" Auxiliadora explained with a sigh.

"So what you are telling us is that your great grandmother created an artifact that could answer the users wishes so long as there was a reasonable equivalent exchange involved. But because of this, death came to her in the form of the spirit Koh and punished her and her decendents for all eternity?" asked Isabella, trying to wrap her head around this whole thing. Auxiliadora nodded her head. "And because of this, shortly before her death, her last vision was of you with this future Dark Lord?" Penelope piped up. Again she nodded. "So when her daughter touched the artifact, it wouldn't heed her desires. And then the cycle continued until you were born as you were destined to wield the artifact" said Audrey with a thoughtful expression. Auxiliadora nodded again, a smile forming on her face as her friends began to solve the confusion of her history.

"Which is why she left that sketchbook. It holds all the information you needed to wield it, because otherwise if one not destined to wield the Ouroboros Ringlet tried to harness it's power they'd live a cursed life of unimaginable horror. The Ouroboros Ringlet is a weapon! It's like that Elder Wand my uncle once told me about! The Elder Wand, if defeated in a duel, will be under the ownership of the one who defeated it, so if the owner of the Ringlet is defeated in a duel, then it's power would be relinquished to the one who beat them. But by doing this it causes a parallel universe if the new owner is a Dark wizard or becomes one. That's why you said past lives, it's not so much as you were a different person. You were the same person, but the path you walked on became one not dictated to you by fate!" cried Audrey as she beamed brightly.

Auxiliadora grinned. "But what does Koh have to do with this?" asked Isabella. "He's death! His job is to take her life, but at the same time he is helping her. But...he is also the embodiment of unimaginable grief and regret, as well as self-loathing. The only way to vanquish him..." said Penelope as she trailed off. "...Is to face whatever demons caused his appearance" Ashley finished. "The bits and pieces you see in your nightmares are from the other worlds where the future's fate was sealed" muttered Audrey. "The ringlet is never meant to fall into the wrong hands" said Penelope.

Auxiliadora just smiled and laid back against her pillows. "Thank goodness I have you guys around, otherwise my brain would've exploded due to all of this" she said with a tired laugh. "You have the oddest history here Lia. But we're glad we can be of help, however, how can you read that sketchbook?" asked Ashley. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. "I don't know, I don't know what this scar means either" she said. "That's the mark of the bearers of the ringlet Lia. However, yours is heavily intricate" Isabella murmered. Auxiliadora's eyes drifted shut, listening to her surroundings until she fell asleep once more, silencing her friend's chatter.

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><p><em>Author's Note: thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this! Oh and if you have any questions about what I was trying to explain, please message me and I'll be happy to clarify any confusion you may have. <em> 


	11. Snow Fall

_Author's Note: Here's another chapter for you guys! A reprieve from the intricate, mind bending chapter prior to this. This chapter is in Tom Riddle's POV, seeing as our favorite Heir of Slytherin has not been around for awhile._

_Thank you to Aalyrial, who has become my number one fan and top reviewer for her constant support for this story. It makes me so happy to see that she enjoys this story with each update. _

_Song of the chapter: Snow Fall- Gollbetty with a hint of Third Eye by Tool for the bunny killing memory._

_Oh I also never read the book where the bunny killing scene was spoken about, so I did my best to think of a way for it to happen. I'm sorry if it is drastically different from the book._

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><p>She had been sleeping for months now. As Tom sat in the library, he kept glancing out the window as the pure white flakes fluttered down to the ground. With an agitated sigh, he noted that if she were awake, she would've been outside with those pathetic friends of hers. Perhaps she would be dancing? He never would know. What bothered him more than anything was why he was bothering thinking of her. She was a distraction, one he could do without.<p>

But yet he sat there thinking of her, briefly wondering if she was alright. There was a commotion out in the hall as a group of very familiar girls ran down the halls towards the Hospital Wing. Raising a well groomed eyebrow, he shut the book he was reading and headed out into the hall. "Come on you guys" said Audrey with a warm smile on her face as she dragged the others with her. "Is she awake?" asked Ashley with a hopeful smile. "I have a good feeling she might be" said Penelope as they all made their way towards their sleeping friend.

Unbeknownst to Auxiliadora, every night Tom had entered the Hospital Wing and watched over her. He didn't know why and his attachments to her were beginning to bother him. He lost her friendship after first year, he was not her friend as he had once been. Nor were they enemies, they were just...nothing. She avoided him, he avoided her. That's how it had been for them, at least until now. She had begun to interrupt his search for his family history and he could have no distractions. Feeling as he did was a weakness and Tom Riddle was not weak. But as he stood around the corner, watching her friends smile and rush through the doors to the Hospital Wing he felt weak. He wasn't allowed in there, he wasn't allowed to speak with her, he wasn't allowed to protect her from those friends of hers.

With a fierce growl, he walked closer hoping to hear what they were speaking about. The sound of her voice made him freeze in shock, but then he rectified himself. Auxiliadora began to speak about her family history and of this powerful artifact. His mind instantly locked onto this information, filing it away for later use. The gears of his mind worked in overtime as he tried to process her history. It was so intricate, so confusing that even he had a hard time understanding just what was being said.

His shock and confusion left him frozen in his spot when her friends came back out. Instantly Ashley saw him and narrowed her eyes. "What do you want Riddle?" she asked with a tone full of ice. He shook of his shock and composed himself. "I would like to visit Lia" he said. In that moment Ashley saw red. "Don't you ever call her that! You are a pathetic excuse for a man, all you've ever done was manipulate her" she hissed. Tom took a step forward, his eyes alight with an eerie light. "You know nothing of what I can do. Now I'd advise you to step back and let me visit Ms. Liddell" he asked, his voice calm. Ashley and the others shuddered at the coldness and detachment in his voice, but when he shook his head, the light was gone. "Just let me see her please" he asked nicely. The others stared in shock as he became a different person. "Never mind Ms. Greene" he said as he walked away.

He was going to hurt her, make her writhe in pain for her comment but the face of Auxiliadora stopped him. Inwardly he growled, angry at her unknowing intervention. His rage bubbled under the calm surface as he ended up in the snow. Something about the snow drew him in, wrapped him in a soothing blanket of innocence and peace. It only served to anger him more. Catching sight of rabbit rushing around the grounds, a particular scene from his childhood at the orphanage flashed before him.

_That boy was being mean to him, Billy was his name. He was just like everyone else, harming him with his words. Just like everyone else, he stayed away from him. Glancing at all the trophies he had collected from the other children in his room, Tom just stared blankly. To the outside world he was calm, but deep inside a monster strained to release itself from it's prison. Standing up, he opened the door and wondered outside his room. The halls were deserted for the other children were outside, he could hear the telltale signs of laughter from the backyard. Opening the door to Billy's room, Tom came across a sight that he knew was against the rules of the orphanage. There was a rabbit, happy in its ignorance of the intruder in the room. He picked up the rabbit and headed towards the attic, shutting the door with his powers as he left Billy's room._

_Upon reaching the attic, he set the rabbit down as his rage bubbled over. The rabbit floated into the air before ropes appeared and one lassoed the rabbit's neck. The sounds of cracking bones echoed in the air as the rabbit dropped from the rafters. He watched as the light was snuffed out from the rabbit's eyes. Casting one last look at the lifeless rabbit, he left the attic._

When the memory ended, Tom found himself standing in front of the lake on the grounds and he found himself wishing that she was there. She was the only one who showed him kindness his whole life, the only one who would silently protest that hurting people was wrong. But he shook his head and cleared his thoughts. He wanted nothing to do with those feelings, these weaknesses. Looking of his shoulder, he glanced back up at the castle. Soon it would be time to head home for the holidays, he'd be back at the orphanage.

His rage flamed up before he came up with the decision to write to Auxiliadora, but without her knowing. He would never sign his name, he would never let her know that a small part of him needed her beside him. When she was there she kept the darkness at bay, the part of him that threatened to take over. Just this once, he'd allow the weakness to overcome him._ 'Only because this weakness is better than that horrid orphanage'_ he thought with a determined look on his face.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!<em>


	12. Garnet

_Author's Note: Here's another chapter for everyone! I'd like to thank Aalyrial for being a loyal fan/reviewer! Always glad to see you enjoy the story._

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but the storyline and my characters. Harry Potter's world is J.K. Rowling's, the song lyrics in here belong to Aqua Timez. _**

_song of chapter: Garnet by Aqua Timez. The lyrics are used as a poem here in this chapter_

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><p>It was now winter break and though her term had started very hectic, things now had mellowed out. Auxiliadora was buzzing around the kitchen with her mother, helping her bake Christmas cookies while her brother threw enchanted paper airplanes at her. Admeta just shook her head, the ghost of a smile forming on her lips as she watched her siblings. Their happy moment was broken when a brown owl with the brightest golden eyes pecked at the window. With a warm smile, Auxiliadora opened the window.<p>

"Who sent you a letter?" asked Amadore with a sly grin on his face. Admeta sighed while Beatrice chuckled warmly at her children. "I won't know until I open it now won't I?" teased Auxiliadora as she stuck her tongue out at her brother. He groaned and huffed with a tiny smirk. Opening the letter, she squealed in happiness as she turned to her family. "It's from Christoph!" she exclaimed, loud enough to draw the attention of their House Elf, Holly. A warm smile formed on the House Elf. "Master Christoph? Why it has been so long since he's been here" she said. "Yes it has. What brings him to write?" asked Beatrice.

"Just a conversation. Nothing important" said Auxiliadora as she rushed off to reply. Her and Christoph had been close friends since she was two years old and he was four. He acted like another brother to, protecting her whenever Amadore couldn't. His family, having moved from Germany before he was born, still held their thick accent and he by default held the same accent. As she laid upon her bed, she pulled out a quill and some parchment before reading the message.

_'Dearest Lia,  
><em>

_I know that it has been quite some time since we have last spoken, but I wanted to let you know that I do still think about you. We were good friends and I hope that you can forgive me for not writing or speaking to you sooner. That was my mistake. All is well with you I take it? I do not want to have to hurt other people who have tried to hurt you. I await your response.  
><em>

_Your friend,  
><em>

_Christoph'  
><em>

Her smile widened as she thought back to all the times he had to defend her from the bullies. It warmed her heart to think of the fact that he never forgot her, that he still treasured her friendship. With a laugh, she wrote down her response and then gave it to the beautiful owl beside her. "Nox, take it to this address" she said, pointing to the address on the envelope from Christoph. Nox gave a hoot in response before flying out in the sky.

He was sitting in his room at the orphanage, not wanting to admit to himself that he was awaiting her letter. No, Tom Riddle wasn't waiting for her response. He merely didn't wish to deal with those children. He had just begun to delve into his thoughts when an unfamiliar owl came to his window. Something about it made him conclude that it was in fact Auxiliadora's owl. Grasping the letter in his hand, he tried to fight back the smile that her response evoked from him, though he knew she thought she was talking to her long lost friend.

_'Dearest Christoph,  
><em>

_You're right, it has been some time! I would sure hope you still think about me, otherwise I'm going to have to beat you up whenever I see you next. I forgive you, you know I could never stay mad at you. Everything is going well with me, well minus a few things. You see, there's this boy at Hogwarts...his name is Tom Riddle. My friends avoid him, they think something's wrong with him. But he hasn't hurt me before, he was a good friend of mine back in our first year. Then he did something that made me revoke our friendship. We haven't spoken since. I won't lie to you, but I do think about him a lot. I wonder how he's doing, I sneak glances at him in school. He's grown up from that adorable yet closed off little boy to being this handsome teenager. He has an air around him that keeps all those away from him, but my heart calls out to him. I want to be around him. I would tell you what the exact reason was for our falling out, but I can't do that to him. I don't want to throw his trust away.  
><em>

_I hope you respond soon!  
><em>

_Lia'  
><em>

Tom was floored when he read that letter. Everything he had ever learned from other people's behaviors was being proven wrong here. She wouldn't betray his trust, she still cared, she wanted to talk to him. Briefly he thought back to the other children's taunts, their cruel remarks, but he shook his head. His mind and his heart were at war with each other and he hated that he had to try to calm himself down. Picking up a quill and parchment, he wrote back to her.

She sat by her window, waiting for his response. It had been so long since he last wrote to her, so she was relieved to hear from him. She had always had a crush on him, but he never saw her as anything more than a little sister. Even when his relationships had gone down the drain, and though she prayed that one day he'd see her in the light she had seen him in, he never did. And she accepted that fact, going back to living her life and blocking off the hurt. Nox had returned and dropped off her letter, causing her to jump off the window sill and grab her quill and parchment.

_' Dearest Lia,  
><em>

_I do not doubt that you could beat me up, at least if we were fighting hand to hand. I do believe that with magic I would win. This boy must have been foolish if he did something to lose a friend. Perhaps he does not know how to make friends? Or perhaps he has only known cruelties from the world? Either way, I'm sure that he'll make amends. And I'm sure, if he could read this, that he'd appreciate your loyalty. You sound like you are his first and only friend, I suppose that he is sorry. Maybe you should try talking to him soon? And what is this, do I detect a hint of a crush on this Riddle boy?  
><em>

_Your friend,  
><em>

_Christoph'  
><em>

With a laugh, she flushed red before muttering curses under her breath at Christoph. He could always read her like an open book, she supposed that was what happened when someone practically grew up with another. Something about his letter put her on alert, it did not sound like the always joking Christoph she was used to. Even the fact that he had written his address, which she knew wasn't his true address, nor had he moved had made her suspicious. Her heart had chimed in that maybe it was Tom, but her brain quelled that theory. Writing her response, she gave it to Nox and he flew off again.

This time, he wasn't as anxious for the letter. Sitting on his bed, he began to read as he knew she'd keep responding so long as he kept sending letters. The other kids were eating dinner, but Tom felt that he wasn't hungry for the gruel they called food. It was times like these that he wished he could stay at Hogwarts, never having to return to this place. The owl tapped on the window, getting his attention as he got up to get the letter.

_'Under the big tree that wrapped up by wind  
><em>

_I sing a dream  
><em>

_Looking for a four-leaf clover  
><em>

_alone I walked in the time's dream  
><em>

_Inner part of my chest flickered  
><em>

_only loneliness illuminated the road  
><em>

_I got tired of waiting for the light  
><em>

_and always, only that illuminated the road  
><em>

_A meeting with you, I've understood  
><em>

_we shared the night one-by-one  
><em>

_we couldn't use words to communicate  
><em>

_in our hearts we hid the loneliness  
><em>

_while keep bluffing you gently stroke this lips  
><em>

_finally I'm able to be myself  
><em>

_The unheard song, the spilled tears  
><em>

_the sky and the earth is taking those all  
><em>

_a person is "one person" but  
><em>

_until I meet again with you  
><em>

_I'll keep believing and living, forever  
><em>

_The way I am now  
><em>

_I conceal the weakness from not having a courage  
><em>

_to love people  
><em>

_My real self almost becomes invisible  
><em>

_I keep running till the distant place  
><em>

_The blueness inside the picture has been torn off  
><em>

_I attached it into my own sky  
><em>

_because I wanted a bluer sky  
><em>

_So I pray for everyone to be together  
><em>

_Wouldn't this smile be formed, and  
><em>

_would it overflow from the depths of heart?  
><em>

_Wouldn't I feel thankful, and  
><em>

_would it naturally break out?  
><em>

_out of people too, if more happiness is different  
><em>

_it felt unnoticed  
><em>

_Comparing the impossibilities of making a comparison  
><em>

_attached chains in body  
><em>

_I peek through the lens from when I cried over the pain  
><em>

_in the distant side  
><em>

_cherished the surpassing things only  
><em>

_When searching I was thinking  
><em>

_a human is such a living thing which is full of faults  
><em>

_with no reason to be loved  
><em>

_I searched for myself  
><em>

_I've made a little mistake  
><em>

_It couldn't continue as it was  
><em>

_while trying to drift about  
><em>

_I always finally chose to be "one person"  
><em>

_from the smile also the delight inside the contact  
><em>

_things continue to bloom all over  
><em>

_If a place without pain such as this exists as well  
><em>

_so that I could run away from facing each other  
><em>

_Laying the eyes in the whole thing  
><em>

_under these eyelids I sketched a perfect world but  
><em>

_beyond the flicker  
><em>

_at time when I searched for love  
><em>

_a drop of prayers spilt  
><em>

_With a fragile thumb, you who were full of pain  
><em>

_wiped me in return  
><em>

_Under the big tree that wrapped up by wind  
><em>

_I was together with you  
><em>

_quietly I dropped a kiss  
><em>

_to the soft eyelids of the sleeping you  
><em>

_Lia'  
><em>

Tom rose an eyebrow as he read her poem. The context of this poem did not make sense to their conversation, it was irrelevant but his heart tugged at his chest. It was nagging him to think that this poem was to him and that nagging feeling was making him angry. But something about the poem made him keep it, as he pocketed the parchment and shooed off the owl. Things were becoming complicated but he couldn't bring himself to reveal himself to her. The fact that he had become so much of a coward drove him insane, he wouldn't stand for it. He had to assert himself before anyone spotted this newly acquired weakness. Taking one more glance at the poem, he hid it in one of his school books even though he knew the other students would never dare to invade his room, even if he was sleeping. Laying down, he cast a look up at the night sky before closing his eyes.

As Nox returned, Auxiliadora smiled as she stroked his silky feathers. "So did Tom get it?" she asked the owl softly. She had received a hoot as a response as Nox gently nibbled on her finger. "I knew it wasn't Christoph. Call it my intuition, but I think it was Tom who was writing to me. Why? I may never know, but judging by his letter, he sounds like he's doing alright" she muttered softly as the owl hooted again. "I just want us to be friends again" she said before she laid down, casting one more happy glance at the moon before falling asleep as a shooting star cut through the dark sky.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!<em>


	13. Windress

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her wonderful review. And yes, the House Elf was named Holly because out of all the names in my head, that one seemed more fitting for a House Elf then say Allison._

**_Disclaimer: I only own my plot and my characters. Tom Riddle and the Harry Potter World belong to J. _**

_Songs of this chapter: **Windress by Versailles and also a hint of Glass Skin by Dir en Grey**_

* * *

><p>The sun shone down on Tom as he wondered through London with a blank expression though his contempt burned inside. Mrs. Cole had sent him out to run errands for him, a thing that made him cringe upon hearing. In his mind he kept recalling the words of Lia's poem, and his heart kept telling him that it was he she was speaking of. With an agitated sigh, he tried to quell the war that his mind and heart have waged inside him. The monster deep within him snarled at the prospect of being attached to that Blood Traitor.<em> 'No, she is not that'<em> he thought, trying to keep his demon secluded.

He did not wish to harm these people around him, they hadn't done anything to him._ 'Plus you know Lia would be upset if she knew'_ his heart whispered to him. _'What does it matter? She holds no importance'_ snarled his demon. Running a hand through his hair, he clutched his hair in his hands tightly, hoping the pain would distract him from his thoughts. What bothered him more than anything was the fact that she knew, he knew she knew it was him. "How? How had she known?" he snarled to himself as he stormed into the store Mrs. Cole had sent him to.

After being told that what he was looking for was out of stock, his temper flared to dangerous levels. With a nod of his head, he walked back out of the store. Reaching into his pocket, he had pulled out the last letter she had sent him. Re-reading it, he snarled and crumpled it up as he went back to the orphanage. Silently the children glared at him, hoping with all their might that if they glared hard enough that he'd stay away from them or with any luck would vanish altogether. He headed upstairs and saw she had sent her owl again.

_'Tom,  
><em>

_I know it was you who was writing me. I don't know how, but I know it was you. I just had this feeling. This is Nox by the way, he'll be playing messenger for us. Enclosed is an whistle I bewitched so that if you ever want to talk to me you can use this to summon Nox. He knows about this too, he's a very smart owl. My brother tested the whistle out, it'll work and only work for Nox. Once more, I do not know how I knew it was you. I am not saying you need to talk to me now that I know your plan, but know that...I do still think you a friend  
><em>

_Sincerely,  
><em>

_Lia'  
><em>

Tom stared at the ocean blue whistle in his hand. It had a tiny jeweled owl encrusted on it and it shone in the sun light. With a scowl, he noted that it was feminine but pocketed it anyway. It would come in handy later. Nox stared at him with a piercing gaze. Tom handed the owl a small piece of paper with writing on it before sitting back down. "Take that to her" he muttered as his demon growled in rage at his decision. The owl gave a hoot before flying off. Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair. He was quickly getting attached to this girl. She had figured him out in a short manner of time, she bested him. With a growl, he stood up and stared out his window. Narrowing his eyes, he watched as Billy Stubbs walked outside. Suddenly the air was filled with ear shattering screams as the boy writhed in pain.

Everyone stared in surprised horror as they couldn't help him. With a shaking glance, Amy looked up and pointed to Tom. They glared dangerously at him as he shrunk away from the window. In that moment, he did not care anymore about the girl who bested him. He wanted to make them all suffer, to make them feel his wrath.

Nox came back with a tiny piece of paper in his mouth which made her look at him questioningly. Dropping the paper in her outstretched hand, she pulled it towards her to read it.

_'pulling in my sins and mistakes,_

_a spider's thread tied to the future'  
><em>

Her confusion increased tenfold as she tried to figure out what he meant. Nothing popped up and as she stared at the intricately, steady calligraphy before her, she found herself missing him more. She had long since figured out he lived in an orphanage, everyone at Hogwarts knew that but they also knew better than to pity him or try to comfort him. He didn't want it, he wanted to be the best without others letting him be. Tom was smart, dangerously so. She sighed and wrote back to him, hoping that he was in a calm state of mind to answer.

Handing the paper to Nox, she smiled softly as he flew off into the sky. "Please let Tom be in a calm state of mind. Please say he hasn't hurt anyone else" she muttered softly, though she knew she was only trying to fool herself. Tom was malicious when those around him treated him horribly, but in turn he was pleasant when she was around. It confused her, made her friend's warnings seem so surreal. But she never let herself get so far that she would think that he would never hurt her because she knew, if she pushed him far enough, he would.

* * *

><p>He was locked in his room, without food for punishing Billy. He had long since accepted the fact that Mrs. Cole was just like the children, she would never believe he was sorry. He apologized but she punished him anyway, he knew she knew his words were empty. He vaguely recalled Amy screaming out that he wasn't sorry, that he was just a monster.<p>

It made him recall the time he led her and Dennis to the cave which was filled with the spirits of the dead. They saw the spirits rise from the water as they waded into it, the skeletons reaching for them and trying to drag them under. Amy cried as Dennis tried to be strong and lead her away from the water, but one of the skeletons grabbed a hold of her leg. The memory began to blur and soon he saw Auxiliadora's hands buried into the rock, trying to keep herself out of the water. Her silent screams and crystal tears becoming prominent as her skin broke against the rocks and their bony fingers, like glass skin. One skeleton jerked her leg so hard that her head cracked against the rocks and soon they were pulling at her lifeless body, pulling her under the surface into the murky waters of darkness.

Tom's body froze up with fear as he tried to rush forward but his demon appeared before him. A pale snake like man with gleaming blood red eyes smirked maliciously at him. He was silently taunting him as he turned to Auxiliadora and began to press down with his bare pale foot. His demon was pushing her into the water, laughing coldly as watched the horde of skeletons begin to rip apart her skin. "You are weak" his demon hissed at him. "You let her become too close" he said as he circled Tom. His robes were silky and flowed behind him like dark wings. He was like a serpent, one with hunger burning in his eyes as he eyed Tom. "She's a weakness. Rid yourself of your weakness" hissed the demon as he grabbed Tom's shirt with long spidery fingers.

Tom was meant with a heart wrenching, blood curdling scream as he saw Auxiliadora pull herself out of the murky depths of the lake. She was now skeletal looking, bits and pieces of flesh hanging from some of her bones. Her face was ripped away and now he was staring back at a skeleton's face. It approached him and he took a step back, earning a snarl from the man behind him. "You are pathetic" he hissed.

Tom's eyes flew open when he heard the rapping of a beak on glass. Turning over, he saw that it now was dark outside and he could barely see the outline of Nox at his window. Rising to his feet, he opened the window and received the small piece of paper that she had written back to him.

_'It's an ordinary situation, the mutual chill between us, I know it and I laugh about it._

_It repeats everyday: wherever I am shrinks little by little, until it disappears'  
><em>

He sighed and pocketed the paper. This girl was beginning to wear him down, his temper and his demon taking over more and more with each passing day. Kindness wasn't in his nature, nor was compassion. After all, the world never showed him any compassion. She may have been the only person to be kind to him, but this wasn't supposed to happen. Attachment was not part of the plan.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you Enjoyed it!<br>_


	14. Taking Tea in Wonderland

_Author's Note: Thanks again to Aalyrial for her wonderful support. You'll just have to see whether or not that was a premonition or a memory or something else, though I'll tell you that Tom's memory does hold a major part later in the story._

**_Disclaimer:__ All I own are my plot and my characters. Tom and the wizarding world are J.'s._**

_Song of the chapter: **Taking Tea in Wonderland- Chris Vrenna of the American Mcgee's Alice soundtrack.** I advise listening to it as it does actually set the mood for this chapter_

* * *

><p><em>Cherry blossom petals floated around Auxiliadora as the serene landscape surrounded her. The sounds of the waterfall behind her crashing against the rocks echoed in the valley full of cherry blossoms. With a soft smile, she took a step forward and leaned over the pool of water that the waterfall was connected to. Swirling the water around with her finger tips, she let herself be overcome by the tranquility of the area.<em>

_As the ripples faded away, she was facing a scene playing before her in the water. The pale snake like man with the gleaming red eyes stood before her, a demented smirk on his face as he reached for her. She could feel the light tingling sensation of someone's hand on her face, the spidery fingers trailing her jaw before he roughly grasped it. "You betrayed me little one" he hissed as the his voice, filled with malice, rung out through the surrounding area. She hissed in pain as he dug his nails into her jaw before leaning in further and forcibly pressing his lips against hers. Trying to struggle, Auxiliadora felt his nails press down harder, keeping her rooted to the spot. "I don't want to hurt you" cooed the snake man. "You need to be punished though. You were bad" he said, gently stroking her face now._

_The scene faded away as a new one took it's place. Before her a burning building fell to the grounds as charred remains were uncovered. Tears formed in her eyes as she saw the only untouched thing in the building: a bird's skull necklace._

_This scene too faded away to make way for another. A bitter wind slapped her face, turning it red and numbing it as she stood behind Tom. Lazily glancing around, she saw him turn around and face her. "Come. We'll have tea" he said, his voice leaving no room for arguments. She nodded, not speaking out against him as she followed him indoors. Glancing at her tea, she quietly sipped at the warm liquid as she let the savory taste of tea with honey and lemon sooth her raw throat. "I never meant to hurt you, you know that right Lia?"he asked, his tone soft and caring. She nodded again as he placed his hand on hers. "You mean everything to me. I would hate to see you go" he said. Again she nodded and he smiled, or was it a smirk? She couldn't tell as she felt her numb body slowly warm up from the warm air._

_A boy approached Tom and his temper flared. A glimmer of red flashed in his eyes, causing her eyes to widen but still she said nothing. "Avery, what could be so important that you interrupted our tea?" he asked, his tone menacing. "I don't see why you are with her after all she is a -" Avery started before he fell to the ground in pain. Tom's eyes were now fully red and his lips were twisted up in a sick grin as he watched Avery writhe in pain, amused by how he cried and screamed out. To make matters worse Tom pried into his unguarded mind and began to cackle evilly at what he had found._

_Still, Auxiliadora sat there doing nothing. It was as if her will was shattered, she could not fight even if she wanted to. Suddenly the red withdrew from Tom's eyes as Avery stood up and tried to run away. Looking back at her, she saw worry and was that a hint of regret? Tom sighed and his demeanor changed. No longer was he proud and regal looking, now he appeared haggard and tired. It was as if his demon was sucking all the life out of him._

_Reaching across the table, she placed her hand on his cheek lightly. He met her eyes and she saw that this too was an act. Sighing, she let go. "So tell me about that Ouroboros Ringlet" he murmured._

_When the scenes faded, Auxiliadora saw that her serene sanctuary had morphed into something horrid. Blood rushed down the cliff where the waterfall once was as the trees, now bare, creaked in the eerie wind with what looked like decapitated doll heads hanging from their branches. Skeletons were resting at the bottom of the pool. The grass reeked of the stench of decaying bodies. Stepping back, she felt something slimy and bony grasp her hand. The skeletons became alive and tried to drag her into the water and no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't get them to let go. "You are a weakness" hissed a menacing voice as she twisted around to see where it was coming from._

_"How dare you impede upon my mission. I should dispose of you right now before you become an even bigger threat" the voice hissed. "But you can be useful" the voice begrudgingly admitted as it neared her. The feeling of cold, spidery fingers trailed down her arms as a thin, almost skeletal body pressed up against her back. "I need you" hissed the voice. "What you control will help me" the voice said before a nasty chuckle came from his throat. "And you will help me" he said as he spun her around and slammed her into a nearby tree, which gave out a blood curdling scream. The very scream a person would give out when they were being brutally murdered. She winced and closed her eyes, trying to will the images away but he forced her to look at him. She was now face to face with the pale snake man. A giant snake slithered up her arm and nestled around her shoulders, turning it's face to hers and opened it's jaws before lunging towards her neck and -_

Her eyes shot open as she woke up drenched in sweat. The world she had created to keep her nightmares at bay had decayed into something so horrid that it was scarcely a reminder of what was. _"You will help me"_ hissed the lingering voice in her mind as she pulled the now soaked blankets tighter around her perspiring body. "I won't help you" she kept muttering over and over again, her fear overtaking her. _"Oh but you will. You don't have the strength to prevent it"_ the voice hissed menacingly. Closing her eyes, she jumped when she saw his face before hers once more.

Getting up, she opened the windows as a cool breeze rolled by. Even though she was sleeping in a light nightgown, she felt as if she was burning up. _"A funny thing that you should mention burning"_ came that menacing voice that caused her to want to be sick. _"Have you ever heard the delightful sounds of people screaming in unison?"_ asked the voice. She tried to break free from it's hold and it was only when Nox screeched that she was able to clear her thoughts of the nasty dream. Her mind was falling apart at the seams.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!<em>


	15. Winter Sleep

_Author's Note: Thank you Aalyrial for reviewing. It's ok that you keep reviewing each chapter, it makes me want to keep writing because I know someone truly enjoys this story and it makes me proud to know that you think I deserve the praise. I update a lot because I'm always thinking of where to go with my story and also because I do not have much of a life xD_

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my plot and my own characters. Tom Riddle and the rest of the Wizarding World belong to J._**

_song of the chapter: Winter Sleep by Oliva Luftkin._

_This chapter is rather short and also it is a bit of a filler chapter_

* * *

><p>It had taken days for those nightmares to fade, and when they did, her scar became darker. The ugly yet intricate design of the Ouroboros seemed to glare at her every time she stared at it, yet she never let it get her down. Due to the cold weather, she put on her favorite deep purple long sleeve sweater tunic with black leggings with black suede boots with fur lining the top of them. "Where are you going this morning?" asked her father as she headed downstairs. "I still need to do Christmas shopping Father"said Auxiliadora as she grabbed a green apple and kissed her father's cheek.<p>

He chuckled and gave her a large sum of money so she could do her shopping without fear of coming up short. "Thank you father" she said happily. "Just be home for dinner" he said as he smiled back and left to walk around town. She had gone through many shops before coming to an antique shop. Deciding to peruse the store, she went in and began to glide through all the aisles. Near the back she spotted a section for antique books. Smiling, she approached that section and the most stunning yet simple diary caught her eye. It was black with leather coverings and gold fastenings on the edges of the book. "Ah I see you have finally found something" said the elderly lady who owned the shop. "Oh yes. It took awhile but I'd like to purchase this" said Auxiliadora. "You have made a fine choice" said the old lady with a warm smile. "Thank you, but I have a question. Do you think I could have this customized?" she asked. "How so?"questioned the old lady. "I would like the name 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' engraved on the bottom of the back cover" she said.

"Oh most certainly! That would be about 10 galleons" said the old lady. She gladly handed the woman the money. "You can pick this up later today. Is that alright?" asked the elderly lady. "Yes thank you! I should be done shopping by then" said Auxiliadora with a chuckle. Saying her goodbyes to the owner, she left the store and headed towards a jewelry store. It dawned on her after she entered that she was in a Muggle fashion district. That fact made her smile as she began to search for something to give her older sister. She finally found something that made her breathing stop at the gorgeous sight of a serephim necklace. In the middle of the six wings was a wine colored jewel and at the base of the necklace, where each set of three wings connected was a crystal. It was simple but beautiful and she knew her sister would love it. When the shop keeper saw her eyeing it, she purchased it and placed it in her bag.

She finally finished her shopping by the time the sun was beginning to set. Her brother and father had gotten engraved pocket watches while her mother had received a necklace with a light blue star in the middle of what looked like ice wings with tiny gems dangling from it with one longer chain holding an ice flower and another gem. Heading back to the antique store, she smiled at the elderly woman. "You're just in time" she said as she handed Auxiliadora the diary. "Thank you ma'am" she said politely as she left the store. Sneaking back into the house with her gifts, she rushed upstairs to wrap them and write a letter to Tom.

_'Tom,  
><em>

_I know you may not have any use for this, but I wanted you to receive a gift for Christmas...so Merry Christmas Tom.  
><em>

_Sincerely,  
><em>

_Lia'  
><em>

She could no longer really speak with Tom, though he had stopped contacting her since her last letter. Plus she had no idea as to what she could say to him. They weren't friends, but she couldn't help but try to be friendly with him. She knew he really didn't have any use for a diary, but she had wanted to get him a gift. She had already shopped for her friends the other day as a way to keep her mind off her nightmares. Placing the letter and the diary in a small bag, she smiled at Nox who got her meaning. It was already Christmas eve, which was why her father had laughed at her because she had always been the one to do really late Christmas shopping. Taking the package in it's beak, Nox flew off as she went downstairs for dinner.

Another Christmas at the orphanage. Tom wasn't excited because he knew that no one would give him a gift. It was the same every year, the other children received fairly stupid gifts while Tom would receive nothing. They always laughed at him for that but this year, he did not care. After that nightmare he had, his heart became encased in ice which was just fine for his demon. It meant no more distractions and so, as he went upstairs, he briefly thought of Lia and wondered what she was doing.

His eyes widened slightly as he saw Nox sitting on his window sill with a package in his beak."She gave me a gift?" he asked in a bored tone as he let the owl in. Dropping the package on his bed, Nox gave a hoot hello before flying off. Opening the package, he first read the letter and the ghost of a smile graced his otherwise emotionless features. Then his eyes landed on diary. It was an antique, but one that was in rather pristine condition. Picking it up, he flipped through it to see that there was a loose piece of paper in it. Pulling it out, he opened up the folded paper to see a drawing staring at him.

It was a detailed profile photo of himself in the upper right hand corner of the page which beside it, taking up the remainder of the paper, was a drawing of himself when he had allowed himself to reluctantly steal a quick glance at her. _'So she had seen'_ he mused, a little peeved that she was beating him at his own game. Turning the diary over, his heart stopped when he caught sight of the golden letters inscribed at the bottom. Tracing them with his fingertips gently, he thought himself lucky that he never was one to cry or be sentimental. It was a gift that must have cost her a lot of money. The ghost of a smile grew in size as he wrote her another letter.

After he finished, Tom pulled out the whistle that he had received from Auxiliadora and blew into it. It took awhile but finally Nox reappeared, appearing to be rather peeved about having to fly back. Tom smirked as he stroked his feathers and then handed him the letter, watching as the owl flew away. As soon as the owl left, he began to feel his demon acting up. _"You need to stop this foolishness. This girl is worthless and will only stand in our way. I won't let you throw this away"_ his demon hissed at him. The soft voice making his words all the more menacing. Tom clutched his head and shook off the voice before he heard Billy knocking at his door. "Open up!" he yelled. Composing himself, Tom opened the door and saw Billy with a few other orphans glaring at him. "Where are the gifts Riddle?" he hissed. "What gifts?" asked Tom innocently. "Don't act innocent! You took them, where are they?" Billy asked.

"I do not know what on earth you are talking about" said Tom. "Liar!" Billy snarled until he clutched his throat. Tom stared at him with a blank expression as Billy began to choke and turn blue. The other children screamed for help and one tried to attack Tom but ended up on the ground with fire burning on his back. With a cool expression, Tom walked out the room as he ignored the others and their screaming. As he walked away, his eyes flashed red and his lips broke into a nasty smirk.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed!<em>


	16. She Will Love You

_Author's Note: Thanks to Aalyrial for her lovely reviews. And also thank you to .Nicoleta who added this story to their favorite list. It means a lot and I promise that there will be action later on in the story. We're almost to the point where it all goes down and things become darker. Be patient, it will pay off. I promise._

**_Disclaimer: I only own my characters and the plot line. I do not own Tom Riddle or the Wizarding world. That's J.K. Rowling's work. _**

_Song of the Chapter: She Will Love You- Aiden_

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><p>When she returned to Hogwarts, she found her friends waiting for her at her table. Smiling, she bounded over to them and plopped down beside Penelope as they all spoke of their holidays and what they had received. Auxiliadora turned her head and from the corner of her eye she saw Tom Riddle sitting there calmly. She watched him for the briefest of moments before she turned away. When she turned away, she missed the clenching of his fists, she missed his body shaking with the telltale signs of his rage bubbling over, and she missed his eyes flashing red.<p>

Someone screamed out in pain as their goblet became too hot to hold. Whipping her head around, Auxiliadora saw Tom and her eyes widened. Despite their coldness, despite the fact they weren't friends, she stood up and walked over to him. She leaned down to his ear and whispered, her lips tickling his ear with her breath. "Calm down Tom. I'm here" she said as she placed a gentle delicate hand upon his shoulder.

His breathing evened out, his hands went from fists to shaking hands. Walking away, she sat back down and with her back turned, she missed the cruel smirk that twisted upon his features. _'You see? She's pathetic, she cares too much. That shall be her downfall, you need to rid yourself of her'_ hissed his demon as he ran a hand through his hair. If he were being honest with himself and if he cared enough, he would've admitted that she held power over him. He would work harder to keep his temper in check if it were for her. But alas he wasn't being honest with himself, and quite frankly he did not care enough. He cared about no one but himself, a harsh fact that life was kind enough to install into him from a young age. _'You can never rely on others. They aren't worth your time'_ hissed his demon as he watched her walk away.

His inner demon knew that he cared and that he was, heaven forbid he should even think this, attached to this girl. It infuriated him, made him want to make her hurt just so she would know who was the superior wizard. He would never let this girl ruin his plans, but with each passing day his host was fighting against him. He was trying to keep him in his cage, a sign of his attachment to this Liddell girl. Before he wouldn't care, he'd let him out, he'd let him hurt those who were mean. He had spoken those words to her all those years ago, when they first met, that he could make bad things happen to those who were mean to him, he could make them hurt. But now...now he hardly ever wanted to do anything he knew would upset her and it drove his demon insane. He was ruining their plan! But no matter, he'd have his way soon enough.

As Ashley and Auxiliadora entered the Slytherin common room, she tried to avoid the silent question that was buzzing around Ashley's mind since the incident in the Dining Hall. When it was clear that it would not vanish into a cloud of smoke, she sighed and sat down on the black leather couch. "I don't know why I did what I did, or how I knew it could work. I just did it" she said softly, not wanting to let her friend know just what had gone through her head as she approached Tom.

_The cold, damp and rather musty air of the chamber surrounded her. As she surveyed the area, she saw that down the pathway she was walking behind Tom on was lined with serpent heads and in the large chamber near the end was an enormous face of Salazar Slytherin. Watching Tom, she saw him stand in the middle of the large chamber as she wondered through the area. Water sloshed as she waded through the puddles gathering in the chamber, hoping to remove some of the grime from the rooster bones that were further back in a giant pit. Tom began hissing in Parseltongue, as if he was summoning something. The sound of the mouth opening from on the face statue caused her to turn around and face it. Out came a large snake and before it could completely look at her, Tom snapped. "Close your eyes" he snarled. She did as told and listened to the giant snake hiss as it rapidly approached her. Feeling the stench of its breath on her face, she took a step back and hit the wall. Embracing the fact that she was about to die, she stood there waiting for it to attack. It never came as Tom began to hiss again._

_The snake moved away and, as she listened closely, it left the giant chamber. "You can open your eyes" said Tom as she could hear his labored breathing from her position. Opening her eyes, she saw him in the middle of the chamber. His hands were balled into fists, his jaw clenched tightly, and his eyes were red. Walking hesitantly over to him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her head rested on his back just below his shoulder blades and she tried not to smile as she felt him calm down. When he turned around, she saw that his eyes were calm but still slightly red. "I am a filthy half-blood" he snarled, pressing her up against the statue, his gaze burning into hers. "My father was a filthy muggle!" he roared, pressing tighter. She gasped in pain but tried not to wince. Tom's face came close to hers. "Little one, why did you follow me down here?" he asked, his tone gentle but his words vicious. "I was concerned" she muttered._

_Tom let out a cold laugh. "Concerned? You should be more concerned for yourself little one. I am the Heir of Slytherin" he boasted. She didn't know why she did what she did next, or even if it was a wise thing to do with a giant snake around, but she stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on Tom's lips. His eye brows rose and he stood rigid. When she pulled away, he stared at her oddly. In his eyes were the remains of his inner strife. He was torn, and he didn't know what to do. This moment went against all he ever knew, all he ever embraced._

_"Why?" he asked, the red fading completely. "You were always there for me. Even if you did commit unspeakable acts against those who hurt me" she said quietly. His temper flared again, but this time it was backed by lust. 'Your body just needs release. You don't care for her. She is nothing but a mere puppet' hissed his demon as he ran his hands down her body. His touch sent shock waves through her body and subconsciously she leaned into his touch. His inner demon smirked, knowing now just how much he affected her. One touch and she'd cave, one touch and she'd do his bidding. He was aroused by such a fact._

Shaking her head, Auxiliadora knew she couldn't allow Ashley to know this memory. She couldn't. She herself didn't even want this memory. It was dark but oddly sensual, something that threw her into a twist. She cared for Tom, yes, but this memory implied that they had something more. It concerned her, worried her, and excited her. She needed to slow down her heart for it was beating faster and faster. Tom walked into the common room and when she met his eyes, she saw the same glint in his eyes as she had in her memory. He held that look of lust in his eyes, with something smaller almost unbelievable to the untrained eye. He kept his gaze locked on hers for a moment before walking away. Her heart fell when she saw his back turned towards her. Ashley raised an eyebrow at her friend's behavior, but Auxiliadora shrugged.

"You seem to have changed" said Ashley. "I know. I'm sorry" said Auxiliadora with a sigh. "You haven't even tried to prank any of the underclassmen. I'm worried Lia" Ashley said quietly. "I know. It has to do with the Ringlet I believe" she said. Ashley's eyes widened. "What makes you say that?" she asked. Pulling the left sleeve up on her robe, Ashley stared at the now darkened mark of the Ouroboros. "When...?" asked Ashley. Auxiliadora covered her arm again and shook her head. "Over break" she said. "I had a nightmare again and then when I woke up the mark was darker and more prominent. I've been having difficulties hiding it" she said. "No spell will work?" asked Ashley."No" said Auxiliadora with a groan. Her life was just becoming more difficult by the passing second.

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><p>He couldn't wrap his head around what she had done. After all she had came near him, she had touched him. He had half the mind to curse her into oblivion, but his heart told him not to. His demon had roared as she had touched his shoulder. <em>'That filth had no right to touch him! She was a traitor'<em> hissed the demon. Tom clutched his head as he tried to block the voice out.

But the pounding of his heart just made his demon even angrier. His demon knew what he was trying to hide from himself, he had enjoyed that touch. It left him lusting after more and more. He wouldn't love her, he _couldn't_ love her. Love was a weakness, it was a hindrance. So why was it that he could live with that weakness...so long as she stayed beside him? He clutched his head tighter as the demon fought for control. Ever since he had met Lia, he could no longer satisfy the demon deep inside him. His restraint drove the demon deeper into madness and it in turn ripped him apart. Before her, he went and harmed anyone and everything. It mattered not to him. But now...this was becoming insane.

He passed Ashley in the hall and before he walked out of sight, she had thrust a piece of paper at him with rage boiling in her eyes. She did not like him, she hated him like the kids at the orphanage. Here everyone stayed away until he had proved his brilliance, now they loved him. But she and her friends...they always remained distant, always watching his every move. It was bothersome, and a bit annoying.

Unfolding the paper, he read the words scrawled on the parchment.

_She will love you through all the lies,_

_She will love you through your disguise_

_She will love you through your demise_

Tom sent a glare at Ashley's retreating figure before heading back to the common room. Upon entering, he saw Ashley and Lia sitting with each other. He met her gaze and silently cursed as she began to decipher his feelings in his eyes. Turning away, he walked away. He missed the look of hurt that flashed on her face. Heading up to the boys dormitory, he pulled out the diary she had given him for Christmas and placed the paper he had received from Ashley into the diary. Ever since meeting her his life had become confusing, nothing was the same. Hours flew by and as he headed downstairs, he saw she had fallen asleep on the couch.

Approaching her, he stared down at her. A strand of hair fell over her face and he reached down to brush it away when he stopped himself. Something beside her had caught his eye. There on the floor was an image of the pale snake like man who had been haunting her dreams since first year. His eyes widened as he realized that this was his inner demon...and on the paper he morphed into Koh. Scanning the paper, he tried to figure out the connection. His inner demon and ...was that her inner demon? He narrowed his eyes at her sleeping form. Brushing aside her sleeve, he fought back the smirk that threatened to creep up on his face. He knew now that her powers to control the Ouroboros Ringlet were awakening. It was only a matter of time.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	17. Falling Down The Rabbit Hole

_Author's Note: Though I've updated this story prior to Aalyrial's comment, I'm going to give her a pre-emptive thank you for her support. This chapter is the start of the Tom Riddle we know and this is where everything becomes darker. _

**_Disclaimer: I only own my characters and my plot. Tom Riddle and the rest of the Wizarding World are property of J.K. Rowling_**

_Song of the Chapter: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole- Chris Vrenna from the American Mcgee's Alice soundtrack_

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><p>Auxiliadora's third year ended without a hitch. And she had survived her fourth year with minor scrapes and mental bruises. However, the summer of her entering her fifth year proved to be disastrous. Tom's insatiable hunger for his family history had led him to figuring out that his mother had been a witch by the name of Merope Gaunt. His father was a Muggle named Tom Riddle. His hatred for his name only increased as he found out his heritage. In his letters to her, he had stated that his mother could not have been a witch since she had died. He was so adamant in his thought process that when she tried to tell him he should be open minded about it, he had snapped at her in a Howler and told her that she "Should keep her Blood Traitor nose out of other people's business and that he had never asked for her opinion".<p>

He had also told her the story of his father. As it would turn out, his mother, Merope had fallen in love with a Muggle by the name of Tom Riddle. Her father and brother, Marvolo and Morfin Gaunt did not approve. They abused her for her infatuation with the Muggle. After all they had been a Pure Blood family and this was an outrage. She, in turn created a potion called Amortentia which she slipped into Riddle's drink and had him drink it. He fell into an obsessive love with Merope and the two eloped together. It was only when she had discovered that she was pregnant that she stopped giving him the potion in hopes that he would have learned to love her or at least stay because of her baby. That blew up in her face and he took off, abandoning her and the baby.

She had to prevent tears from falling as she read his letter. Everything seemed to make sense now, though she knew that if anyone were to see this letter, Tom would hurt her. It was private, not meant for others to see. His mother had died in childbirth, and he was left at the orphanage. At the end of the letter he had asked her to come meet him in little Hangleton. Auxiliadora wiped the tears from her cheeks as she rose to her feet. Casting one last glance at her house, she headed out. As she walked, she pulled her sweater closer as the summer night was cool. Upon reaching Little Hangleton, she saw Tom standing with his cold eyes locked onto a building.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his tone hard and determined. "Yes" she said as the duo walked together to the house. "Stay here" he said, not leaving room for argument as he entered the house. Moments later there was a flash of green light and he came back out with a ring on his hand, one that wasn't there when he had entered. She did not speak, but looked at his back in concern. His temper was radiating him in shock waves, preventing her from wanting to come closer to him. She followed him to another house in which he told her to stay outside before another flash of light appeared and he returned again. "Let's go" he said as he led her away.

The way back to her house was silent until she swallowed her fear and asked him what happened. "What did you do to the people in that house?" she asked. "I merely spoke to them is all. That flash was from a camera Lia" said Tom as he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He could see she didn't believe him and so he whirled around and placed a hand on her cheek. "Do you not believe me Lia?" he asked, coming closer to her. Her face flushed red. "No, I do" she said as he smiled brilliantly at her. It made her heart flutter and she tried to avoid his gaze. Tom just turned away and walked back to her house.

However, upon reaching her house, Auxiliadora collapsed in despair. Her home was on fire as the flames licked every crevice of the building. Tom watched this display of power from nature as she tried to control her sobbing. From inside the building she could hear the horrendous screaming of her family as they called her name, thinking she was still in the building. Her body was wrecked with shock as she sat there and watched the flames claim the lives of her family. Tom glanced down at her, his eyes uncaring and distant yet at the same time gentle. He watched as her mind began to break more from the despair, she had lost everything. Her family, her home, her life. It was all taken from her in a blink of an eye.

When the flames finally subsided, she entered the pile of ashes that once was her home. Glancing around, she fought back tears until she came across the charred bodies of her family. Their blackened skeletons contorted into wicked positions, their skeletal faces silently screaming. Pieces of burnt flesh still hung to their bones, their clothes burned away. The stench of the burning corpses hung fresh in the air, making her dry heave with every breath. There on the ashes that once were a table rested the skeletal bird's head choker that her sister had bought her for Christmas.

With a shaking hand she lifted it up from the rubble and put it around her neck. She turned back to Tom, who silently watched her whole ordeal. In a flash he approached her and wrapped his arms around her frail body. He tried to comfort her, tried to relax her as she sobbed into his arms. He could feel her mind shattering into millions of pieces, her sanity slipping with each heart wrenching sob. Inside he smirked, knowing that his plan had begun to work. She was in no position to fight back and with minimal effort on his part, he would be able to control her. She was his puppet, free to do with as he pleased.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	18. Late To The Face Stealer

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her wonderful support and lovely reviews. This chapter is pretty short but I promise that this will be the only super short chapter. _

**_Disclaimer: I believe at this point we all know I only own my characters and my plot. Tom Riddle and Harry Potter's world belongs to J.K. Rowling_**

_song of the chapter: Late to the Jabberwocky- Chris Vrenna with a hint of Wonderland Woods by Chris Vrenna. Both are off the American Mcgee's Alice soundtrack_

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><p>Flames consumed her vision as the intense heat swarmed around her. Covering her eyes with her arm, the smoke burning her lungs the more she breathed in. "Mother?" she called out. There was no response besides the roar of the flames. "Father?" she tried to call out before the smoke took over her lungs and she coughed violently. "Amadore? Admeta?" she said as she stumbled through the flames.<p>

Her response was the horrifying sounds of their screams piercing the air. The flames licked at her skin but never burned her, though she could feel the overbearing heat pressing down on her. A dark shadow danced around her, the familiar sounds of clicking echoing around her. It moved rapidly before coming to stand before her.

"No" she said quietly as she strained to keep an emotionless mask. "It's your fault they died" hissed Koh, his voice luring her in once more. "No it's not" she said. "Oh of course it is Auxiliadora. You smelled the smoke but you were out with that boy. You couldn't be bothered to wake them before you left so you were protected and spared while your family roasted in an inferno of incredible horror" said Koh, his tone mocking.

Auxiliadora fell to her knees and pulled her legs tight around her. "No, it's not true" she muttered to herself. "Koh always lies" she tried to assure herself. Koh cackled madly as he rushed towards her. "I never lie Little Lia" he cooed maliciously. "Koh always lies" she muttered as Koh wrapped around her. The smoke and the flames of the inferno consumed her as he tightened around her. "Little Lia, Little Lia how does it feel to know you that you killed your own family? That you let them die in that inferno?" chuckled Koh as he tightened his grip more, suffocating her.

"I killed them...I killed my family" she said, crying with a straight face. Koh laughed maliciously as he released her. "Why did you let us die?" came the voice of her sister. But before she could answer, she was awoken to find Tom staring over her with a concerned look. "Are you alright? You were crying and screaming in your sleep" he said. She didn't speak, something that did not concern him as she had been rendered mute since the devastation of her family. Weeks had passed since that dreadful incident and Auxiliadora had become more frail than she had before. Tom had taken her with him to the orphanage, his reappearance making the others run away from him though they questioned the appearance of the newcomer.

There were no other rooms so she was forced to sleep in Tom's room, something Tom did not mind. It made it easier to keep an eye on her and to manipulate her. Those fluffy feelings he had felt two years ago had been under lock and key, hidden away by the demon inside that he was allowing to take control over him once more. As she sat there, her lifeless eyes staring out the window. She did that everyday, just stared. Tom watched her like a hawk, hoping for a sign of life.

"It wasn't your fault" he said softly as he approached her and stroked her hair. She shook her head and glanced at him for a brief moment. He sighed and let her go. He would have to be patient if he wanted to achieve his goal. Glancing down, he saw a piece of parchment on the ground. Picking it up delicately, he read the words on the paper.

_These delicates roses,  
><em>

_Were friends that I loved.  
><em>

_Upon the upheaval,  
><em>

_They all turned to blood.  
><em>

_Am I to blame, though,  
><em>

_For this change of heart?  
><em>

_If my mind wasn't skewed so  
><em>

_They'd be in one part  
><em>

Raising his eyebrow, he wondered just what she had meant by this but saw her close her eyes once more. Another crystal tear fell onto her hands, which were neatly folded on her lap. She was like a broken china doll. Her porcelain skin now paler and stretched against her bones, as if it were being forced to fit. Her eyes had sunken into her skull, dark rings circling her eyes. She wouldn't eat and when she slept she had nightmares. She feared sleep.

Tom witnessed as this once strong woman was reduced to pieces. Inwardly he smirked, she may be in pieces but that made it all the more easy to reconstruct her into what he wanted. There would be no fight, no suspicion. It would be a simple task, but one that would take time to achieve. So long as he got what he wanted, he would play the part. Reaching over, he wiped a tear from her cheek. She opened her eyes and he saw that their color had dulled. No longer bright and full of life, they were now a dull jade. It made him almost feel bad for what had happened...almost. Handing her a glass of water, he sat on the bed away from her.

She gently picked up the water and sipped at it, not really registering her actions. Her eyes began to droop and Tom was glad to see that the sleeping draft had taken effect. When she fell asleep, he laid her upon his bed and then laid beside her, stroking her jaw with his finger. Smirking, he wondered how much she would hate him when she found out. He dismissed that thought after recalling the message Ashley had given him. _'She will love you through your lies'._

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<br>_


	19. Lotus

_Author's Note: My sincerest apologies for not updating sooner! I had actually ended up getting sick and because of that I couldn't really write. I hope that this chapter makes up for it. _

_I'd like to thank Aalyrial for her support. And for those who are reading and don't review, keep an eye out for Aalyrial and myself's collaboration story that is in the making! _

_Also I used the Flower Language here. Lobelia means 'malevolence' while a Cypress tree means 'Death, mourning, despair, sorrow'. I shall be using more of the Flower Language in this story._

_Song of the chapter: **Lotus by Dir En Grey**. The translated lyrics act as a poem here in the story._

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><p>Weeks turned into months as Tom sat beside Auxiliadora. It was almost the start of their 5th year at Hogwarts and she was still in her comatose state, she wouldn't move, nor would she speak. Her once bright eyes dulled and stared outside. She wouldn't even glance at him. Tom was patient and would often sit on his bed, his back against the wall as he held Auxiliadora in his arms against his chest. Whenever she was in his arms, she would cry. Her mind broken and her heart in despair she could find no comfort.<p>

One day Tom had left to do an errand for Mrs. Cole, leaving her by herself. Her senses were dulled, she didn't hear the door open. Dennis and Amy slowly crept towards her, wondering just what was so special about this girl that made Tom Riddle stay away from the other orphans. Amy saw the despair and pain in her eyes, something that despite her hatred for Tom Riddle made her want to reach out to the girl. She wasn't aware that she even had tried until Dennis stopped her hand. His fear for the girl had flared behind his eyes and Amy knew that he was afraid she would be like Tom.

The longer the two stood in there, the more they saw. A waterfall of tears streamed down her face as she screamed out, calling for her family. Amy and Dennis stared at her in horror, not knowing what to do. Auxiliadora pleaded with an unknown force, begging to make the pain stop. She kept begging, pleading, with the force that she didn't mean to kill her family. That it wasn't her fault. That she didn't know the fire would start. Amy and Dennis stared at each other, a sick realization dawning on them that the girl before them was not heartless like Tom, nor did she deserve the ostracizing that the others and themselves had done to her.

She had lost her family like them and it became apparent that she couldn't handle it. Amy and Dennis wanted to cry as Auxiliadora crumpled onto the ground. She kept begging and screaming, her voice becoming hoarse. Reaching into her pocket, Amy watched in horrified shock as she plunged a knife into her left wrist. Crimson rivers flowed from the broken skin and the more Auxiliadora slashed at her arm, the more sick Amy and Dennis began to feel. When it became too much to hear her screams, her sobs, her pleads and to watch her harm herself, they ran out of the room.

Halfway down the hall, they ran into Tom Riddle. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the two orphans before him, the very same he had tortured all those years ago. But before he could say anything, the heart breaking sobs and screams from his room made him bolt passed them and practically rip his door off its hinges. Before him he saw the crumpled form of Auxiliadora curled up on the floor. Her sobbing and screams had begun to calm down but her arm was bleeding profusely. The sight of her blood made Tom stand there, not knowing what to do. Glancing at the knife, he snarled when he had saw that it was a memento from her now burned down home.

"Lia, Lia" he said, an unfamiliar feeling of panic coursed through his veins. Laying down, he pulled her shaking form into his arms not bothering to care about the blood that was getting onto his shirt. He held her tightly as she cried into his shoulder, begging to an unseen force to leave her alone, to stop harming her. He ripped off a piece of his shirt and wrapped it tightly around her wrist, hoping that it would slow the flow of blood. It finally slowed down after a few more minutes of fear hanging over him. Tom Riddle was not used to feeling this, no, he _shouldn't_ feel this fear. He was to _be_ feared.

But the sight of the girl before him, once so strong, now so broken brought him a new wave of feelings that he didn't understand, didn't _want_ to understand. Everything he had taught himself, from love being a weakness and trust being a hindrance were beginning to fade away. Inwardly he growled and made a vow to himself to make sure that these feelings died where they stood. "Koh...please stop" she cried into his shoulder, making his blood run cold.

That bloody demon was tormenting her. He couldn't even begin to imagine what he was showing her, or what he was telling her.

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><p>Koh wrapped his body around her, tightening his grip as his legs pierced her skin. Her blood spilled on the ground beneath her, tainting the pristine white petals of the lotus that had grown in her once tranquil dream world. Koh just laughed manically as he continued to rip apart her skin with his legs continued to draw blood.<p>

"Please...I didn't kill them" she cried, trying so hard to keep her grasp on her mask. "Let me go" she pleaded, but Koh paid her no mind. Tears fell down her face, falling onto the lotus like falling petals. Her breath and her strength were running out, she could not hold on much longer. "You're precious friend... he helped in your destruction" hissed Koh. "No...Tom...he didn't" she said between gasps.

"Oh but he did. You see, if he had not called out to witness the killing of his family your family would've been spared. You would've protected them" cooed Koh, his voice the only thing she could hear as darkness overtook her. "You're regrets will kill you my dear" said Koh.

"Lia, Lia!" came Tom's voice in the darkness. She tried to call out, but Koh crushed that opportunity by crushing her lungs more. Koh had plagued her mind ever since the incident, never letting her know the meaning of peace. He wrecked havoc on her mind, hastily speeding up the process of her mental health's otherwise slow decline. For all that time she was forced to suffer through the deaths of her family, her friends, and Tom. They all burned in the inferno of horrors. She had been helpless to save them, she couldn't.

"Koh...please stop" she cried, trying to break free from this hell that she was succumbing to. Koh only laughed and turned his face towards her, hoping for some crack in her mask so that he could steal her soul. When none came, he roared and threw her to ground as the sound of a sickening crack echoed around them. Cradling her side, she hissed in pain as she felt the bones penetrating her skin and the warm sticky feeling of blood painted her hands.

With a shaking glance, she saw the lotus painted red by irradiating a red glow. It had gone from pure to a completely different flower. No longer was the area pure, no now it was tainted with malevolence and Lobelia flowers grew everywhere but right where the lotus had once resided stood a marvelous Cypress tree, shading the waters and the grounds. Tears fell harder as she looked around her once beloved dreamworld garden. Its twisted image haunted her dreams, it haunted her thoughts. She had no more peace to welcome, she was a prisoner in her own mind.

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><p>Tom ran a hand through his hair as he watched her struggle in her sleep, pleading to Koh to release her. In her other hand, the one that hadn't gotten bloodied made him raise an eyebrow. Auxiliadora wouldn't speak, but he had come to realize that she spoke through means of poems that she strategically left for only his eyes to see. He smirked at the thought of her relying so heavily on him, she 'needed' him to be her savior. It worked out all too well, it was perfect. Stoking her hair, he felt satisfaction in the fact that it was he who brought her whole world crumpling down in a pile of ashes.<p>

Taking the paper, he unraveled it to see that his assumptions were correct as they usually were. She had written yet another poem, this being a frequent thing. He briefly wondered if it helped her escaped the torture that Koh had put her through, but he stopped that thought as quickly as it had come.

_I close my eyes_

_This place is blue_

_The toki bird cries_

_The storm took my heart away_

_Waiting to feel tomorrow along with the picture_

_that's now peeling and rotting away_

_Can't erase the tears from memory_

_Even this sound of darkness probably won't heal anymore_

_Somehow knowing that…_

_Tears come running down again from the memory_

_Look around_

_There's probably no one to live for now…alone_

_The un-erasable wound_

_Isn't it as beautiful?_

_If the dream withered, will you still love?_

_It's true; tomorrow will not be all glitters_

_Your weak intention is not a scar, giving you a reason to look back_

_Can't erase the tears from memory_

_Even this sound of darkness probably won't heal anymore_

_Somehow knowing that…_

_It is breaking_

_The night_

_Throwing everything away in front of your eyes_

_You are the moon_

_You shall cry and sleep_

_A mistake won't change one's way of life_

_Be proud and let the pure white lotus blossom_

_Your strong intentions won't be shaken anymore_

_The free sky_

_Close your eyes_

_What is believing?_

Tom finished reading and glanced at her. Despite her mental decline and the fact that her health had begun to wither away, there was still a spark of fight in her. She became a walking skeleton with nothing to her but skin and bones. Sometimes he found it hard to see her as the lively Slytherin she used to be.

And in that moment, he almost regretted playing with her like a toy..._almost_. She had something he wanted, he needed, and so he was going to bide his time like the snake that became the symbol of his ancestor's house at Hogwarts. He didn't want to think about how worried he became on her behalf, he did not want to think about how attractive he had found her before all of this. And he most certainly did not want to think about his attachment to this girl.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em> 


	20. Wandering Flame

_Author's Note: Thank you Aalyrial for you're wonderful support as always. It is always a pleasure to know that you enjoy this story and the many different underlying themes it has._

_Second: I have just seen the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. In my opinion, it was a wonderfully sad way to end the 10 years of magic that we have all known and loved. The journey may have ended, but the magic will never fade. In the words of Neville Longbottom "People die every day. But they are always alive right here, in our hearts". So this is a dedication to all those who died in the series. You may have been fictional characters, but the pain and tragedy you all endured was real. We cried with you, we laughed with you, we were you're best friends. But now it has come time to say good bye, but we will never forget you. Thank you to the brilliant actors and the wonderful crew members who made this fantasy come alive. And the biggest thanks of all goes directly to J. K. Rowling,the author of this gripping and compelling series that has taught us many different lessons over these 10 years. We are, and always will be, the Potter generation. 3 Thank you J. K Rowling, for everything._

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters and my own plot. Tom Riddle and the wizarding world belong to J.K Rowling_**

_Song of the chapter: Wandering Flame- Nobuo Uematsu from the Final Fantasy X soundtrack_

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><p>It wasn't until the day that school was to start again that Auxiliadora had recognized the outside world. She came to when she was sitting beside Tom in a compartment, her head was residing on his shoulder. Lifting her head up, she glanced around the compartment in confusion. "So you've finally awoken" said Tom softly. She glanced at him, the first smile gracing her face in months. It was smile and barely there, but he saw the slight glimmer of life in her eyes when she smiled.<p>

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice soft and quiet. "The train Lia. We're on our way back to Hogwarts. How are you feeling?" he asked her gently as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. Her still lifeless eyes bore into his cold blue eyes and she shook her head as the sound of the compartment opened. Ashley, Penelope, Audrey, and Isabella stood there with tears in their eyes as the entered the compartment. Ever so slightly, Tom's eye began to twitch in annoyance. He had specifically ordered McNair and Avery to keep everyone out of his compartment. "Lia!" cried Ashley as she went to approach her.

Auxiliadora's eyes widened as before her she did not see her friends but instead Koh. "Get away!" she screamed, hiding her face in Tom's shoulder. Ashley took a step back, as if her words were a flame that burned her skin. "Lia..." she said softly as her friends looked as if their hearts had been ripped out. Ashley narrowed her eyes at Tom. "What did you do to her Riddle?" she snarled, earning a smirk from the boy. "I do not know what you are talking about Ms. Greene. I assure you that I have done nothing wrong to your friend. Her family just died, surely you've heard about that? It was quite the tragedy. She has been with me for the remainder of the summer and only recently has she shown any signs of movement or life" he said coldly as he stroked her hair.

Lia whimpered and cried onto his shoulder as she shook in fear. "I know you think rather poorly of me but rest assured that Lia here is in fine hands" he said. "Bullshit! Don't you think it's funny how the Riddle family was mysteriously killed and then later found out to be done by Morfin Gaunt? And then her family dies as well, in their sleep and in a fire?" she roared. Ashley was shaking now, her eyes livid and her fingernails cutting into her palms. She ignored the blood pooling from the wounds. "You are a lying demented child and I would rather you leave Lia alone. You are taking advantage of her weakened state" she hissed.

Tom narrowed his eyes and then the door slammed shut, closing off Ashley from her friends. They banged on the door, trying to get in but he paid them no mind. "Ms. Greene, I would advise you to mind your tongue while in my presence. I haven't harmed you thus far because you are Lia's friend but if you put so much as another toe out of line" he said coldly before he smirked. "I will make you suffer" he said. "You're sick" she hissed. "I do believe that is a matter of opinion" he said. Lia had fallen asleep from her tears and Tom gently moved her aside before standing up and backing Ashley into a corner.

"Ms. Greene, I do appreciate being made a mockery of" he said as she writhed in pain. The banging at the door had stopped long ago because he had blocked out all the sound. "You see, if you tell your friend what you have figured out, you will ruin my plans" he said as he sat down and continued to watch her. "And I rather do like your friend. Lia is, shall I say, unique and she interests me" he said, twirling a strand of Lia's hair. "If you tell her, she'll distance herself from me and well, I don't wish for that" he said. "You...are sick. How dare you" spat Ashley.  
>"I am attracted to her Ms. Greene, she is very beautiful don't you agree?" asked Tom. "You are only attracted to her because of the Ouroboros Ringlet" she spat before wincing in pain. Tom rose an eyebrow and smirked as Ashley clamped a hand over her mouth. "I already know about that artifact Ms. Greene" he said. She glared at him and he brought Auxiliadora against him. She watched as he ignored her existence and stroke her hair.<p>

Raising an eyebrow, she watched as he nestled Lia closer to him and placed the lightest kiss on the top of her head. Ashley figured it was a trick of the light, Tom Riddle cared for no one but himself. Shaking, she picked herself up off the ground and glanced at him once more before leaving. Tom's eyes followed her and he smirked as he gently rubbed Lia's back. Her eyes fluttered open and he smiled. "Are you alright now?" he asked.

"Yes..." she said softly as she tried to stand up. "Sit. You are tired" he said or more like commanded. With a nod, she sat back down and he brushed a strand of hair away. When they got changed into their robes and made it to Hogwarts, he led her to the carriages. "You'll be sitting with me and my friends" he said as she took the spot beside him as a few others piled into the carriage. She paid them no mind and they didn't care about her either. In her hands was her sketchbook and the sounds of quill scratching on parchment made Tom glance over at her through the corner of his eyes.

He was amazed, saddened, and a bit horrified by the image she was drawing. It was her, sitting beside a pond with her feet in the water and a sunset surrounding her. Her eyes were filled with pain, and in her hand was a handful of glass shards. The pieces pierced her skin and drew blood which dripped into the water, turning it a pool of swirling crimson. In the water lurked the snake like man she feared so much. Behind her was a cyprus tree and in her other hand was an Eglantine Rose. She sat in a field of witch-hazel, rue, marigolds, and love lies bleeding. He briefly wondered what connections those flowers had to her but was more impressed in the fact that she had charmed the paper in the sketchbook to fill itself in with the colors assigned to the drawing.

In the drawing there was a dying flame, flicking over the water and over the snake man. Then he realized that there was blood pouring from her chest. A gaping hole resided there and that the hand holding the glass had been holding her heart. The glass heart was shattered and parts were missing. A strange twinge in his heart made him stop glancing at the paper. His demon hissed in anger as he thought about the emotions coursing through him. When they stopped, Tom collected Auxiliadora and nodded to his friends before walking out towards the Dining Hall. He hated his friends, they weren't even friends. They were just looking for a leader, and he was that leader. They were his pawns.

Glancing a Auxiliadora, he didn't see her as that girl who he first spoke to. No, now she was a wandering flame that was nearing her demise. Everyone stared at her, hoping that the skeletal girl beside him wasn't being tortured by him. They wanted to see her lively again, even the professors from their High Table stared at her in sorrow. Her friends watched them from their spots in the room, hoping to see some spark of their defiant but energetic friend: It never came.

She drifted through her classes alongside him, avoiding questions and the stares of the other students. Harsh whispers were cut off by a look from Tom. When the two were alone in the common room, he rested against the armrest of the couch with her back on his chest. "Since when were you this comfortable with affection?" she asked him softly. "Ever since the incident" he murmured softly as he held her close, hiding his smirk in her hair. He saw her blush in the firelight and her wondered if a darker, more sinister shade of red would look good staining her cheeks.

Avery and Mcnair appeared, sneering at her. Tom was about to say something, to get them to leave her alone before something inside of her snapped. It was like a wildfire had erupted in the common room. "I am so sick and tired of all of you thinking you're better than me! You stand there either with pitying looks when Tom's around or you sneer at me like I'm dirt" she growled, fire burning in her eyes. "I'm done with all of this, all of you" she snarled as she ran at Avery. "My family died! And it was all my fault" she cried as she slammed Avery into the wall. "Do you have any idea what that's like? To see your family killed before your very eyes? Hearing their screams while you were too paralyzed in shock to even help them?" she growled, tightening her grip on his throat. He gargled and tried to break free, but he found he couldn't.

"My family died because of me!" she snarled as she let him go, whirling on McNair. "And I am tired of you pitying me. I don't need your pity, I don't need your help. Do me a favor and leave me alone" she said, glaring at the two men. Tom watched with a strange glint in his eyes as a foreign feeling stirred deep in the confines of his heart. Standing there, illuminated by the fire as her eyes glowed dangerously, if he could finally admit it to himself, she was beautiful. She was the epitome of power there in that moment and he craved it.

When she turned around, she sighed and sat down beside Tom, worn out from her outburst. He wrapped his arms around her. "It was my fault...I killed my family Tom" she said as if it hurt to talk about it. He supposed it did, for it was still a fresh wound. But it was something he couldn't grasp and it bothered him. Why was she mourning the loss of people who could potentially pose as a weakness? Why would she allow herself to succumb to such a weakened state.

Love. The answer had slapped him in the face and twisted his features up into a sneer. Love was a foolish thing to believe in. He followed the rationality of his brain as opposed to the foolish ramblings of his heart. He didn't need it's words or warnings, he'd get fine on his own. He had always been fine on his own and he never needed to rely on others. But this girl in his arms, she relied on others. He wondered briefly if she ever felt drained having to have others fight for her. But he knew that she never wanted them to fight for her.

He had witnessed first hand the devastation she could cause with just her fists. He wondered how she would fair if she used spells instead. He would have to play this part just awhile longer, until it was clear she wouldn't betray him. He couldn't have that, even if her foolish friends suffered in the process. Tom had soon come to realize that she had fallen asleep on his chest and he couldn't find it in him to move her.

Not that it was a willing action, but he knew if he stirred her that the false magic that fell over the two would break and she'd see through the illusion. _Would she? how can you be so sure?_ hissed his demon. He ran a hand through his hair and then soothed it back down as he unconsciously held her closer to him as he wrapped a blanket around them both. It was a role that he couldn't wait to put an end to.

Weeks went by and soon Auxiliadora was back on her feet. She was now closer to Tom than she had ever been, choosing to stick by his side rather than go off with her friends. Her friends, however, noticed a difference in her personality since she had begun to spend more time around Tom. Auxiliadora was quicker to snap at everyone or anything that seemed to cross paths with her, her temper being fired off by just one bad look. Her energy had come back, but it was backed with rage. Sadly they watched their friend fall deeper into the clutches of Tom Riddle, who from the outside view, was a perfect gentleman who cared about his friend.

Ashley seethed as she watched him tuck a loose strand of hair behind her face with a charming smile. That day on the train had never left her mind, but she knew his warning held true. Speak of the devil and he shall appear, Tom looked over at her with a wicked glint to his eye. He smirked as he knew that she was angry but could do nothing to help her friend. She was powerless. Turning his gaze back to Auxiliadora, he smiled as she had slapped Avery for something foul he had said.

This wasn't the Lia she knew anymore, the one who'd only fight when others tried to harm her. The very same one who spent her time drawing, or with her friends. She had always been a good student, but lately she was becoming a wildfire with no control to stop. Clutching her hands into fists, she gritted her teeth as Avery and McNair passed by. "Do you really think he has found the Chamber?" asked Avery as he got a swift jab in the side.

"Shut your mouth" hissed McNair as he glared at Ashley as they walked past. It was too late though, they had already sparked her curiosity. She wondered what Tom was doing and how she could save her friend. Gone were the days of laughter and smiles, gone were the bonds of friendships. Now all that were left were wandering flames, lost to the world and left to find their ways home.

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><p><em>Author's note: Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it<em>


	21. Revealed Truth

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for your wonderful support as usual. And also a warm thank you to Ilovehappyendings for adding this story to their favorites list. It makes me very happy to see things like that in my inbox._

_I also realized that I kept putting 'McNair' in the chapters instead of 'Mulciber', which was the last name of one of Tom Riddle's "friends" back when he was in Hogwarts. I apologize for that error, I have corrected that in this chapter_

_I used some lines in here from chapter 16, She Will Love You, because that memory is from this part of the story in a different timeline. _

_Things are going to be ending soon for this arc. There'll be 3 arcs for this story, arc one was this one. Arc two will be the Marauders Era, and Arc three will be Harry Potter's Time. There's going to be maybe one or two more chapters left of this arc before I proceed into The Marauders Era arc._

**_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters and my plot line. Tom Riddle and the rest of Harry Potter's world belong to J.K. Rowling._**

_Song of the chapter: **Revealed Truth-** Nobuo Uematsu from the Final Fantasy X soundtrack. I would advise listening to this song as you read this chapter. The melody heavily enhances the atmosphere of this chapter._

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><p>Ashley kept her eyes on Tom and his friends Avery and Mulciber, as well as Nott and Lestrange over the past couple of weeks. Auxiliadora was still broken, but she seemed more alive whenever Tom was around. However, her tone became icy when she spoke to Avery and Mulciber, even going so far as to slap the both of them. She would have smiled had it not been for the loss of her friend. Never once did she smile at Ashley, or wave to Penelope, Isabella, or Audrey. She never acknowledged them, it was as if they never existed.<p>

The hollowness in her heart pained her with each passing day as Ashley watched in constant fear of everything that Tom Riddle did. His smirk would always be directed to her when he saw her looking, a warning of things to come. She narrowed her eyes at him and tried to go about her day until horrific news was overheard. A student had been petrified out in the corridors, sending panic through the school. Headmaster Dippet tried to keep everyone calm, making them go back to their dormitories. It was becoming unsafe in Hogwarts and Ashley couldn't let go of the fear that overtook her body with each passing second. Her friend was at risk, and she couldn't help her.

There was another attack the next day, causing the panic to rise to an unhealthy level. Ashley's eyes scanned the crowds, looking for any sign of Auxiliadora or the others but was shocked and horrified to find not one clue. Fear gripping her heart, she rushed to the Hospital Wing and nearly collapsed when she saw the students lying in the beds had been none other than Penelope and Isabella. "No..." she muttered softly as she tried to keep her tears from falling. "I am sorry Ms. Greene, I know how close you were to them" said the healer. "Any news on who did this?" she asked. "No, I'm afraid not" said the healer and Ashley felt as if her heart had been ripped out.

It was Audrey who was attacked the following day. The fear that resided in Ashley now overtook her life as she tried to keep her eyes peeled around each corner to see who was the attacker. There were still no signs of Auxiliadora and Ashley panicked more, hoping that she wouldn't be the next to be attacked. When she opened her Care of Magical Creatures book a note fell from it. The writing was inexplicably familiar but she found she could not place it. Before her read the ominous words : Her body will lie in the chamber forever.

_'Chamber?'_ she thought as she tried to figure out just what that meant. It wasn't until she remembered Avery mentioning something about a chamber just a few weeks ago. Her hands balled into fists as she pieced together who was behind the attacks. Running out of the classroom, she was determined to find Tom. As she turned the corner towards the second corridor's girls bathroom, she was met with a harsh hissing sound and the body of a large snake met her vision. Shaking, she rose her head and met the gaze of the serpent.

Death was instantaneous and she found it did not hurt. Looking at the snake, she cursed her stupidity as she realized that the snake before her was a basilisk, having read about them when she had chosen to read her Care of Magical Creatures book for fun. Diamonds streamed down her face as the snake retreated away from her._ 'I failed you Lia...how could I have been so stupid?...'_

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><p>She stirred from her slumber as she came to find she was in a very familiar cavern. Glancing around she was met with the looming statue face of Salazar Slytherin before noticing the rows of serpent heads lining the walkway that led to the larger chamber.<p>

Watching Tom, she saw him stand in the middle of the large chamber as she wondered through the area. Water sloshed as she waded through the puddles gathering in the chamber, hoping to remove some of the grime from the rooster bones that were further back in a giant pit. Tom began hissing in Parseltongue, as if he was summoning something. The sound of the mouth opening from on the face statue caused her to turn around and face it.

Out came a large snake and before it could completely look at her, Tom snapped. "Close your eyes" he snarled. She did as told and listened to the giant snake hiss as it rapidly approached her. Feeling the stench of its breath on her face, she took a step back and hit the wall. Embracing the fact that she was about to die, she stood there waiting for it to attack. It never came as Tom began to hiss again.

The snake moved away and, as she listened closely, it left the giant chamber. "You can open your eyes" said Tom as she could hear his labored breathing from her position. Opening her eyes, she saw him in the middle of the chamber. His hands were balled into fists, his jaw clenched tightly, and his eyes were red. Walking hesitantly over to him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her head rested on his back just below his shoulder blades and she tried not to smile as she felt him calm down.

When he turned around, she saw that his eyes were calm but still slightly red. "I am a filthy half-blood" he snarled, pressing her up against the statue, his gaze burning into hers. "My father was a filthy muggle!" he roared, pressing tighter. She gasped in pain but tried not to wince. Tom's face came close to hers. "Little one, why did you follow me down here?" he asked, his tone gentle but his words vicious. "I was concerned" she muttered.

Tom let out a cold laugh. "Concerned? You should be more concerned for yourself little one. I am the Heir of Slytherin" he boasted. A sense of deja vu overtook her, alarms warning her of the memory that had played in her head months ago. Taking a step back she saw him smirk. "Did you ever wonder how your family died that night?" he hissed, pushing her backwards with each step forward. It was as if they were the same ends of a magnet trying to come together only to be repelled. "Or are you truly that foolish and never once thought about it?" he asked, taunting her.

"I killed them" she said softly. Tom's menacing laughter filled the air and his eyes flashed red. "No you foolish girl, **_I _** killed them" he hissed. Auxiliadora stared at him wide eyed and in fear of the words he spoke. "You see I had to kill them. I needed to break you, morph you into the puppet I wanted you to be, but you...no matter what I did you were still a distraction" Tom snarled, letting his demon take control. "Love, friendship, trust, these only make one weak! One needs no one but themselves" he hissed at her. "Your precious friends are probably dead by now. Salazar's pet will make sure of that" said Tom.

"I separated you from your friends, hoping that it would break you faster" said Tom, revealing his plan to her. "I made you see Koh that day, knowing that it was the one thing that would break you react in a fashion that would bring you to me" Tom said. "You will find I can be very...persuasive" he explained. "These past few weeks I played the part of a caring friend, acting as if your mental health and emotional decline mattered to me, but you were nothing more than a silly little girl" he said. "You thought that your pathetic Flower language would tip your friends off to your emotional state. Witch-Hazel means a magic spell doesn't it? And rue is regret? Eglantine Roses mean a wound to heal? Cypress trees mean death, despair, mourning, sorrow doesn't it? And marigolds have the meaning of pain and grief while love lies bleeding means hopelessness. You somehow knew my plan, didn't you?" he snarled.

Auxiliadora sobbed as the truth was painfully revealed to her. The boy before her, the one she had fallen in love with despite the warnings, had killed her family and tried to manipulate her. The despair almost wrecked her, she was so close to spiraling back into the pits of sorrow when a spirit appeared before her. It was the ghostly form of Ashley who stared at her sorrowfully. "No...Ashley...why? why must everyone I love die violently? Unnaturally? Why go on? I'll only hurt others!" she cried out as she crumpled to the ground. "Lia..." said the ghost of Ashley with a sorrowful tone. "Please don't blame yourself. This is not your fault...I was stupid...I should have known that it was a basilisk in the corridor based off its large size" she said.

"But I still met its gaze. I'm sorry I failed you, I couldn't protect you like a good friend" she said as she walked towards Auxiliadora's crumpled body. Tom watched the scene with a sneer. "How pathetic" he hissed, causing Ashley to whirl on him. "How dare you! You used her and abused her mentally! How could you? You knew she would fall for you if you acted all sweet and caring, especially in her time of need. You killed her family, you killed me! The only good thing is that Penelope and Isabella are only petrified!" she snarled as the red gleam faded from Tom's eyes.

"Lia..." he muttered. "HOW DARE YOU CALL HER THAT! AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE?" screeched Ashley as she flew up to his face. "I would've killed you had your precious pet not done the dirty deed itself. You've been planning this for weeks now, you've been trying to purge this school of all Muggle-born students. But you started with Lia's friends, knowing it'll weaken her mental state more, leaving her to be easy pray for you" she snapped as she turned when Auxiliadora rose to her feet.

A fire burned behind her emerald eyes, all signs of the tragedies she had faced washing away as strength coursed through her blood. "I trusted you...I loved you...and this is what I get? How many more lives must you steal from me Riddle?" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "All this for your quest of power? Are you really so desperate to avoid death that you would play at a chance to get the Ouroboros Ringlet? You used me, knowing that only I could remove the spells on the Ringlet in order to activate it" she said, her head now turned towards the ground before she ran towards him and slapped him.

It echoed around the chamber and his icy gaze bore into her fierce one. Leaning down, he kissed her softly. It was a light kiss that soon became more passionate as he held her close to him, as if preventing her escape. The sound of the basilisk returning met her ears, but she paid it no mind as her eyes closed instinctively. His tongue battled for dominance with hers as he pulled her tighter. Her senses finally came back to her and she slapped him again, glaring at him through her tears. "How dare you...! You feel nothing for you are no more than an evil, sick, twisted, maniacal, demented man who lusts after power. I am nothing more than a pawn in your game and I will not stand by and let you use me anymore Tom Marvolo Riddle" she said as she kept her eyes closed and walked back through the chamber. "Stop" commanded Tom.

She froze and he began to hiss as sounds of the basilisk moving met her ears. When all was silent, he made a sound to make her open her eyes. The basilisk was gone now and Tom stood there, an odd look in his eyes. It was as if he was sad, and was there a hint of regret in his eyes? Auxiliadora shook her head, turning away from him as she walked back to the entrance of the chamber. A single thought ran through her head over and over, but she was never close to finding an answer.

_'Why had Tom sent the basilisk away?'_

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed.<br>_


	22. Bewitched

_Author's note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her wonderful support. It really means a lot_

**_Disclaimer: I only own my characters and my plot. Tom Riddle and the wizarding world belong to J.K. Rowling_**

_song of the chapter:** Bewitched** by **Blood On The Dance Floor**_

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><p>Two students had died that day. Tom stood by the stairs, watching them cart out the two bodies of the students while Dumbledore stared on sadly. After the bodies moved away, Tom ascended the stairs. "Professor, they're not really going to close Hogwarts are they? I don't have any other home to go to" he asked, his voice full of faux worry. "I'm afraid Headmaster Dippet may have no other choice" said Dumbledore. "What if the person behind these attacks were caught?" Tom asked. "Is there something you wish to tell me Tom?" asked Dumbledore.<p>

Tom froze as the kindly, all knowing gaze of Dumbledore bore into his own. Straightening his posture, he shook his head. "No sir" he said. Dumbledore appeared to be unconvinced, but said nothing. "Than head back to your dormitory Tom" he said as he turned his back to the student. Tom's thoughts flashed back to the girl who he had bewitched from before the start of the term. Auxiliadora was almost in his clutches, had she drank the tea at the meeting with his friends she would not have snapped out of her stupor in the Chamber. His inwardly snarled as he made his way back to the common room. Auxiliadora was now making an effort to avoid him all together, after all, he had ruined her life.

But some part of his heart didn't want her to hate him._ 'It would seem the little witch has bewitched you as well. How pathetic'_ hissed his demon. He was now losing control to the hideous demon that resided inside him. It was a monster that was so buried that one would never even suspect it. His foot stepped on something as he entered the common room. Raising an eyebrow, he bent down to pick it up.

It was her sketchbook. Flipping to the image that she was drawing, he saw the snake like man sneering back at him encircled by a giant snake. Fennel flowers were wilting beneath his feet as...was that lettuce beside the man as well? Tom tried to hide his smirk for she had drawn food into the image. Hydrangeas bloomed behind the teen in the corner and when Tom looked hard at the image, he saw that teen was himself standing beside the basilisk. His temper went to flare but then he saw her knelt down before the snake like man with a Heliotrope in her hands, but tears streamed down her face. He questioned all the flowers before spotting the creeping willow in the background and the words written down on the back of the image.

_Flattery, deceit  
><em>

_cold-hearted  
><em>

_frigidness, heartlessness  
><em>

_Devotion  
><em>

_Love forsaken  
><em>

It quickly dawned on him that she had deliberately left her sketchbook out for him to find. She used Flower Language to convey things that she wanted no one else to find out: her own secret code. Glancing at the table, he saw a bouquet of roses conjured by magic before him. There were a mix of blue, black, and coral roses in the vase but black was the more commonly found rose. He saw another message written for him.

_Mystery,  
><em>

_Desire,  
><em>

_Death, hatred, farewell_

And beneath these words, in the biggest, boldest letters she could write was the word:

_**Rebirth  
><strong>_

He pocketed the message and glanced up at the dormitory stairs. How had he fallen so hard for the witch? She clouded his thoughts, made him second guess his mission. He was torn between her and the mission he needed to complete. His demon roared inside, wanting to make him pay as he thought back to her words. _'I loved you'._ They rang through his head, he had never had anyone love him. No one had cared for him, they stayed away from him. As much as it pained him to admit it, he was afraid to let anyone get close to him. They would only leave him, so he built up the walls and closed himself off.

But all those years ago, on the train, he felt them breaking down as he watched her stare out the window. Tom Riddle had begun to care about someone other than himself, however he did his best to avoid letting it becoming known. Her friend Ashley had been right when she said that he was manipulating her, every bad thing that had happened to her from the start of their first year up until now was because of him. He made Dalmascus and his cronies attack her, he wanted to see her fight. He made it so that whenever she was sad, she came back to him. She always came back.

With a smirk he took out the drawings she had done all those years ago for him. It only gave him more incentive to keep her with him at all times. He wanted the artifact that her grandmother had created, he wanted eternal life. However he knew that she would never let him have it because only she could remove the spells protecting it. So he tricked her into falling in love with him, playing with her like a toy until he was done. But his plan backfired and he found himself falling for her, and his hand clenched into a fist. Turning around, he saw yet another message for him on the floor.

_Now is the time, now is the hour_

_To take back my heart,_

_to take back my power_

_This is the moment to break your spell_

_I see right through you_

Tom sneered as a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. She had written his thoughts down as a warning to him. Sitting back down before the fire in the common room, he was in a particularly foul mood. His wickedness had broken her heart, and her deceit only allured him in more. He was treading into dangerous territory, one that infuriated his demon. He wanted her and her power, he wanted to control it, use it for his own needs. But most of all, he found himself wanting her beside him. He wanted to rule over the world with her beside him and he would not rest until she was back in his clutches. He would make her rue the day she interfered with his plans. Shutting his eyes, he found himself before Koh.

"My my, so it seems I have changed loyalties. What brings you here?" he cooed. Tom said nothing, did nothing. "You are an evil child. How was it you could bring poor little Lia to her knees so easily? I quite liked that girl. A beautiful face for my ever growing collection" said Koh as he wrapped around Tom. "What are you doing here? Are you not the embodiment of one's grief and guilt?" asked Tom. "Oh and are you ever correct. You see, when you read those messages you felt a pang of guilt. It would seem that you do have a conscious, however deep it may be hidden" taunted Koh. Tom's inner demon showed himself with an angry snarl. "He is not so weak that he would fall to such levels" hissed the demon.

"Oh but he already has. You see in his heart, though flames of darkness burn and cloud his mind, there is a beacon of light hiding in that sea of shadows. He has grown attached to her" said Koh as if it were an every day thing. The demon snarled and tried to harm Koh, but couldn't. "She is nothing more than a mere pawn!" hissed the demon. "Who are you trying to fool, me or yourself?" asked Koh. "I may be the embodiment of your grief, but it would appear that in this situation I am the angel on your shoulder" cooed Koh. Tom tried to block out the demon's words and Koh's words, but found he could not.

"He does not need anyone besides himself! He will become the greatest wizard alive" hissed the demon as the scenery turned to the Chamber of Secrets. Tom watched as Ashley's ghost yelled at him while Auxiliadora cried. He twitched, torn between remorse and laughing at her pathetic state. "You hurt her because you love her" said Koh as he wrapped his body around Tom once more. "You do not know what love is, nor do you understand it fully. But yet you try to show it to her by manipulating her with her best interests at heart" whispered Koh. "What are you doing? NO!" snarled the demon as Koh was forced back from Tom. "You will never know love now Tom Riddle. You made sure of that when you killed her family and attempted to kill her friends, only succeeding to kill one of them" taunted Koh.

"Stop it! He isn't weak. Love is for weaklings, he is above being pathetic" snapped the demon as Tom stared at the lithe form of the snake man with glowing red eyes before him. The demon's spidery fingers clutched a wand that appeared to be made out of bone but yet it wasn't. Tom grabbed his head as the jibes and the harsh words kept being thrown around him. A headache was forming and he couldn't find a way to make it stop. "Your mother died giving birth to you didn't she? She didn't even 'want' to live to raise you. Is that why you closed yourself off from the world? Because you couldn't trust even your own mother to be there for you?" Koh taunted.

"Be quiet" said Tom quietly. "You were left at the mercy of the, what was your word for it, oh yes Muggle Orphanage. You weren't well liked there. You were, as I seem to recall, the _"freak"_. Koh taunted. "Be quiet" Tom said stronger this time. "You were made fun of, bullied, left all alone. There was no one to teach you right from wrong, was there?" asked Koh. "Be quiet!" Tom snapped. "So you were left all alone with just your powers, which you had a surprising amount of control over for someone so young. And you figured if you couldn't get people to like you, you would make them fear you, didn't you?" Koh asked, circling him with his velvety voice making Tom want to scream out, but he wouldn't lose his composure.

The demon snarled and tried to attack Koh, but Koh moved away with a smirk. "What you did to that boy and girl was atrocious. Simply pure evil, and you did it with no remorse. They were mean to you after all. That's how you justified it. You led them to an abandoned cave, one where no one could actually get to unless with magic. You levitated them down, scaring them with that alone. But you never stopped there, no you made them face their worst fears. In a cavern with no light you led them to the waters. You led them to their near deaths. Those creatures in the water attacked them, tried to drag them under and punish them" Koh whispered into Tom's ear.

"Stop it!" cried Tom. Before Koh could speak again, the demon snarled and pointed his wand at Koh. "Avada Kedvra!" he hissed as a green spark shot out from his wand and hit Koh. Koh only chuckled and faded away. "You cannot kill what you did not create. I will be seeing you again Riddle" he said as Tom was left at the mercy of his demon, the winner of this inner struggle. Gone was his shred of conscious, gone was his remorse. All that remained was his cruelty, his sadism, the obsession with Auxiliadora and her power, and the obsession to become the greatest Dark Wizard in the world. He will live forever and rid the world of those not suited to practice magic. With a cruel smirk on his face, he opened his eyes. He would succeed in his mission and Auxiliadora would be his, whether she wanted to be or not.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it!<em> 


	23. Someday The Dream Will End

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her wonderful constant support, though she's been very busy recently and her reviews have slowed down. This update is for you! Hope you enjoy it whenever you get the chance to! :)_

_Also, **this is the end of the first arc. After this chapter begins the Marauders Arc**_

_One other thing, the part where Slughorn and Tom are talking are lines from Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. Maybe not exactly verbatim, but close enough._

**_Disclaimer: I only own my characters and my plot. I do not own Tom Riddle, Lily Evans, or Severus Snape or the Wizarding World. They are property of J.K. Rowling_**

_song of the chapter: **Someday the Dream Will End **-Nobuo Uematsu off the Final Fantasy X soundtrack_

* * *

><p>A year went by and she had stopped talking to Tom Riddle all together. The only teacher that believed her that it was Tom who killed Myrtle and Ashley was Dumbledore, but the others saw his facade and believed it. They thought him a harmless well mannered student. From a distance it became apparent that Tom Riddle could not love anything, he knew what the emotion was but feeling it was something he could never feel. There were moments where she'd capture his gaze and, though her temper flared, she silently wished that by some miracle he'd feel something. But her wishes went unanswered. She was left with her friends Penelope, Audrey, and Isabella most of the time, no one wanted to be with her. She had never had a boyfriend.<p>

Often she found herself on the second floor corridor, near the sight where Ashley was killed. Some nights Ashley's ghost would be there, and they would laugh like old times. "How are you holding up Lia?" asked Ashley as she sat down against the wall. "I feel hollow. I spent all last year bewitched and manipulated, I lost one of my best friends, and I lost my family. There's hardly anything left here at Hogwarts for me. The only reason I am still here is because Audrey, Isabella, and Penelope are still here" she said sadly as Ashley sighed.

"I'm sorry that I was such an idiot...I can't believe I looked the basilisk in the eye" muttered Ashley. "It isn't your fault...please stop blaming yourself" said Auxiliadora as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm just...lonely you know Ash? I've never once had a boyfriend and I am almost sixteen!" she muttered. "That's because Tom Riddle has been scaring off any boys who even so much as glance in your direction" spat Ashley as the name fell from her tongue like acid. "What?" said Auxiliadora as she stood up in an outrage. "It's true. I've heard many boys wish to actually get close to you, even some that are friends with Penelope, Isabella, and Audrey's boyfriends. A lot of guys think you are beautiful, but then Tom Riddle shows up and they put their tails between their legs and run off" said Ashley.

Lia shook with rage at this new information. "How dare he...how dare he try to rule my life! I won't let him" she seethed. Ashley watched her friend in a sense of pride. "I won't be making that mistake again" said Auxiliadora as she ran her hand through her hair. "You still love him don't you?" asked Ashley. "I do, but I was a fool. He's a heartless murderer incapable of feeling love" Auxiliadora said with a steely voice. "So when are you leaving to find the Ringlet?" asked Ashley. "It's almost winter break, I'll do it then" she said. "Good luck Lia" said Ashley as she wrapped her ghostly arms around her friend, even though she knew her friend could not feel them.

* * *

><p>It was now winter break and as Auxiliadora stood before her destroyed home, she sifted through the ashes to see if maybe, just maybe there was some clue as to where she would find the Ouroboros Ringlet. She dug, and she dug, but to no avail. She never found a single thing, not one clue. But when she was about to give up, she found that there was a hidden trap door under a charred rug. Raising an eyebrow, she lifted up the door to find herself in her house's cellar. She couldn't use magic outside of school, which caused her to mutter a curse under her breath.<p>

Walking down the steps, torches lit themselves as she headed downward into the darkness. It felt like hours before the darkened scar on her left wrist began to wriggle and thrive, as if it were a living thing. It burned the closer she got to the bottom, a sign that she must be getting close. After hours passed by, she finally made it to the end where an eerie inky black and green aura radiated off an object lurking in the darkness. As she took a step forward, the aura materialized itself in the form of a giant serpent, hissing angrily at her and trying to bite her. Taking a step back, she pulled out her wand and glared at the snake. It tried to bite her again and she took another step back before she closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she saw the spirit of her great grandmother standing beside the snake, who bowed its head at her. "Grandmother Rachael" said Auxiliadora breathlessly. "Lia, you need to take the Ringlet and protect it" she said. "But gran-" Lia started. Rachael shook her head. "The Riddle boy must never find it. Terrible things will happen should he acquire it" she explained. With a determined expression, Lia took a step forward. "Very well. I shall protect it with my life" she said. "When you put the Ringlet on, over your marking, the aging process will slow down to a sluggish speed. That was my final spell I cast on it" said Rachael. "But what I thought there was an equivalent exchange?" asked Lia.

"There is, but I created this Ringlet out of Unicorn's blood" said Rachael. "How could you?" screeched Lia. "Because I was a fool. If you slay something so pure, the moment the blood touches your lips you will lead a half-live, a cursed life" she explained. "So that's the equivalent exchange on the ringlet. Unicorns blood to create a cursed life, but to slow the aging process" muttered Lia. Rachael nodded. "Yes Lia...I was a fool to create such a dangerous artifact...it is my fault you have had to endured such trauma, and it is because of me that your family has perished" Rachael said sadly.

"Please, take the Ringlet and protect it, until the time comes to destroy it" muttered Rachael. "Why can't I destroy it now?" asked Lia. "Because I foresaw a man so villainous many years from now, one who will seek to use this Ringlet at his most desperate moment. It must be around until that time, so that when he seeks to use it, the boy destined to defeat him will have an opportune moment to do so" she explained. "So you are telling me that I need to lie to this horrid man, just so it will by a boy some time to kill him?" asked Lia, confused by her great-great-great-great-great grandmother's words. "Precisely. He will attempt to kill you as an equivalent exchange, but should you destroy the Ringlet prior to that, than his desperate attempts will be in vain" she explained.

Lia's shoulders slumped down in defeat as Rachael's words carried a heavy weight. "I will die...won't I?" she asked. Rachael nodded slowly. "It must be done dear. Either he kills you and gains immortality, or you prevent his last attempt to gain it and be a martyr" she said. Lia straightened up and stared her grandmother in the eyes. "I will do as you ask Grandmother" she said, determination creeping behind her words. Rachael nodded with a warm smile and the snake disappeared as she walked towards the ringlet. It looked exactly like the mark on her left wrist and as she picked it up, she felt it's power course through her veins.

Attaching it to her left wrist, she found it fit perfectly over her marking. As she turned to leave, she heard the final goodbye from her grandmother, and even goodbyes from her family. She was determined to make them proud.

* * *

><p>He stood in Slughorn's office, fiddling around with the objects on his table as Slughorn showed out the last of the Slug Club. When Slughorn turned back around, he was surprised to see Tom still standing there. "Oh and why are you still here Tom?" he asked pleasantly. "I was wondering if I could ask you something Professor" said Tom as he moved towards the fireplace, stroking the ring on his finger as he did so. "I was reading in the library when I came across something odd. A rare piece of magic, and I was wondering if you knew anything about it" Tom said smoothly as he looked back at Slughorn. "It's called, as I understand it, a Horcrux" he said.<p>

Slughorn's eyes widened as he sipped his drink. "Well a horcrux is Dark Magic. It is when a wizard splits their soul and binds their soul to an inanimate object. So long as that object is not destroyed in anyway, than the wizard should live forever even if their physical body should be destroyed" Slughorn explained. Tom smirked to himself as he listened to his words. "And what if that wizard split his soul into, say, seven pieces?" he asked. "Split their soul into seven pieces? This all hypothetical, isn't it Tom?" asked Slughorn. Tom smiled at the professor. "Of course sir". They finished their conversation and Tom left Slughorn's office, pleased with what the professor had told him.

As he made his way back to the common room, he felt a twinge deep in his heart when the image of Lia passed through his head. Shaking his head, he refused to acknowledge what it was that he felt as he entered the common room and found the diary. The memory of receiving the diary as a gift from Lia entered his brain and he tried to shake it off in vain. The walk towards the dark forest was filled with memories of Lia and when he finally entered the Dark Forest, he stopped.

The more he lied to himself, the more he missed her. He told himself time and time again she meant nothing to him, she was just a means to an end. But this tiny piece of him told him otherwise. She cared for him when no one else did, and he had thrown it away. With a growl, he proceeded deeper into the woods until he made it to a clearing. There he began the process of splitting his soul. It was excruciating and he screamed when it happened.

When the ordeal was over, he stared at the diary in his shaking hands with a proud smirk. He had done it, he had created the first Horcrux that would ensure his immortality. What he wasn't aware of, due to the fatigue that overtook him, were a pair of bright emerald eyes watching him from the shadows before taking off silently.

Opening her eyes, Lia found herself sitting beside a bubbly red head with the warmest green eyes and a silent raven haired boy with dark eyes and alabaster skin. "Hello, I'm Lily Evans and this is Severus Snape. Who might you be?" asked Lily. Lia thought about what to tell the girl. She couldn't tell her what her true name was, it would make no sense for someone to still be alive for such a long time, or at the very least appear so young.

"Lia Bellona" she said, settling on her nickname and her middle name. "That's a nice name. Are you excited to go to Hogwarts?" Lily asked. Lia had to smirk to herself as she was asked this. "I'll be coming home again" she said, ignoring the odd looks the two children shot her. She thought back on her memories with a sigh. It had been so many years ago since she went to school with Tom Marvolo Riddle, that thinking back on it made it feel like a dream. In an odd way, she was glad that the dream had ended. But deep in her heart she knew the nightmare was only about to begin.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!<em>


	24. This Is Your Story

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her lovely support! And thank you to all those who favorited this story! It means a lot to me!_

**_DISCLAIMER:__ I own only my characters and the plot. Tom Riddle and everything else in the wizarding world belong to J.K. Rowling_**

_Song of the chapter: This is your story- Nobuo Uematsu from the Final Fantasy X soundtrack_

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><p>"You must be a transfer student. We haven't seen you here before" stated Severus. His dark eyes distrusting and distant. "That's right! We've been here for four years and never have we seen you" exclaimed Lily. "Yes. I'm a transfer student from Beauxbatons. I should be in your year this year" said Lia with a small smile. "That's great! What house do you think you'll be in?" asked a very excited Lily. Severus gave a sneer and turned away, not really wanting to get to know the girl before him. He had just wanted to spend some alone time with Lily before James Potter decided to come after her, but he was dismayed to find that a girl had taken residence in the only open compartment on the train.<p>

Luckily for him, she had been asleep when they had entered. He had hoped that she would remain asleep for the whole ride, but sadly he was not so lucky. Glancing at her, he took in her appearance. Raven locks were cut to jaw length and framed her heart shaped face. She had bright emerald eyes, much like Lily's, but her's were hardened. It was as if she was hiding her pain from the world and wanted no one to know her secrets. His curiosity was heightened when she met his gaze and her eyes softened for the briefest of moments, as if debating whether she should trust them or not.

"I am thinking Slytherin. But with recent events, I cannot be certain" Lia said softly. "Did something bad happen?" asked Lily, concerned for the girl before her. Lia gave a sad smile. "That's a story for a different time perhaps Lily, Severus" she said before the door to the compartment slid open and there stood James Potter. Lia glanced at him, noting the Gryffindor robes he adorned. He was a tall, thin man who wore glasses, with hazel-brown eyes and untidy black hair that stuck up at the back.

"Oh well if it isn't Snivellus" taunted James as he sneered at Severus, who glared daggers at the boy. Behind him was another boy, this one with darker wavy shoulder length hair. "Leave him alone Potter" snapped Lily. "I will if you will go out with me" asked James. Lily glared at him and Severus looked about ready to jump up and punch the snooty boy before him. "I believe she said no" said Lia, her eyes narrowing into slits at Potter.

James turned to her. "Potter was it? I can see that Lily here has absolutely no interest in you. And why should she? You act as if you are high and mighty, better than everyone else. You are a Pure Blood am I correct? Pitiful. You've had everything handed to you on a silver platter and because Lily here says no you seem to think it's ok to chase after things you cannot acquire" said Lia with a cold tone. "And who are you?" asked the boy beside James. "Now, now, Sirius, let her talk" said James with a confident smirk.

"Personally, I don't see why Lily would ever want to be with you a stuck up, selfish, arrogant little weasel such as yourself. You are always picking a fight with Severus it would seem. And what for? Because he is a Slytherin?" Lia questioned as she crossed her legs and leaned on her hands as she propped her elbows on her knees. James' eyes narrowed. "You are new. How do you know that this isn't the first time Snivellus and I have met?" he questioned. "You gave it away. The way you barged in here like you owned the place and the fact that you called him that name. Not to mention you are bothering Lily" she said as she rose to her feet.

"Now I would like you to kindly leave us in peace" said Lia as she pushed the boys out of the compartment and shut the door, locking it as she did so and sat back down. "That was brilliant Lia!" exclaimed a relieved Lily. "You didn't need to stick up for me" snapped Severus. "No, I didn't. But he was wrong. I cannot stand people like him. I...used to love someone like him" Lia said softly.

"Love doesn't just go away" Lily said as she sat down beside Lia. "I know. But it's easier to pretend I don't still care about him. All it did was bring death into my life" Lia explained. "We will be arriving shortly. You might wish to put on your robes" said Severus, ending the sad topic. With a grateful nod, she rose to her feet and dug through her suitcase to retrieve her standard, non-sorted robes.

Once she had changed in the bathroom, she approached her compartment only to be stopped by James again. "What is you name?" he asked, leaning against the door frame of his compartment. She could see Sirius glancing at her from beside a quiet looking boy with brown hair. He looked rather pale and almost sickly, something about him seemed off. Then there was a meek, nervous boy beside him. She narrowed her eyes at him and he seemed to almost scurry away from her gaze.

"My name is of no importance to you Potter" she sad as she went to walk past him. "You don't seem like a Gryffindor" he said. "You're right. I am not one. However, as I am new here, pass judgement on a later date" said Lia as she walked away from him and returned to Lily and Severus. "What took you?" asked Severus. "I had another lovely run in with James" she said with a groan. Severus' lips twitched up into a small smile. "You'll get used to it, unfortunately" he said. "I'd rather not" Lia said as Lily smiled. The train began to slow down and she beamed. "We're here Lia!" she said as they trio gathered their stuff and left the train.

"Ms. Bellona!" came a voice near the first years. Lia glanced and saw a familiar face from when she was at Hogwarts the first time. A warm smile appeared on her face as she saw the half giant. A pang of sorrow built up in her heart as she knew she couldn't flat out admit she knew him. " 'Ello there! Professor Dumbledore sent me 'ere to fetch ya and have you sorted among the first years" said the half giant. "Well thank you Mr..." she trailed off, playing as if she didn't know his name. "Oh! 'e name's Hagrid"said Hagrid. "It is a pleasure" she said warmly. He nodded and led her away with the first years.

She never thought she'd be back in the little boats that the first years rode in on their way to Hogwarts castle. When it was her first time, she was with Tom. 'No. This will be a new start. I won't think about him, I won't act like how I did before. I don't want to be taken advantage again' she thought as a few first years glanced at her. She smiled warmly at them.

"Nervous?" she asked the girl closest to her. "Y-yes" she stammered out. "I'm worried that I might end up in Slytherin" she said quietly. Lia placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "I know it seems like Slytherin is the worst house to be in, but not everyone who comes from there is a bad person. All it means is that you are ambitious and are willing to achieve your goals by any means" said Lia.

"But my family has always been in Ravenclaw" she said. "What's your name?" asked Lia. "S-sarah" said the girl. "I see you as more of a Hufflepuff. You may be bright, but I can sense that you'll be a loyal friend. But do not worry. The Sorting Hat will place you where it feels you are best suited for. But remember, you always have a choice" said Lia. "How do you know this?" asked Sarah. A flash of sadness flickered behind Lia's eyes. "My...grandfather came here years ago" she said. "I'm sorry. You must miss him terribly" said Sarah. "I do" said Lia as the boats docked.

As the ceremony began, she waited patiently until she heard Sarah's name being called. "Sarah Brightman". Lia watched as the shy girl left her side and walked up to the hat. A moment of silence passed over the Great Hall before the Sorting Hat made it's announcement.

"Hufflepuff!"

Sarah smiled as she rushed off to her table, shooting Lia a thankful glance. Lia returned her smile warmly and waited until all the first years were sorted. "And now, we have a transfer student arriving from Beauxbatons" said Professor Dumbledore as he smiled knowingly at Lia. She smiled back at him and waited for her name.

"Lia Bellona"

Walking with calm strides, she approached the hate and could hear it chuckle in her head as she put it on.

_"Auxiliadora Bellona Liddell, what a pleasure it is to see you again. You have grown since you last sat here, all those years ago. Ah yes it was Slytherin last time. However you would do well in Gryffindor. But...perhaps it would be safest for you to remain in your old house?"  
><em>

A moment passed, then another. It took the hat longer to decided where to sort her than it had in her first year. There was an inner debate whether she should remain in Slytherin, or be placed in Gryffindor. Slytherin held ties to her past, ones she did not wish to face. But when the hat opened its mouth once more, her heart plummeted into the pits of her stomach.

"Slytherin"

She walked towards the table where she saw Severus sitting. Memories flashed to her where she saw herself sitting with Ashley, smiling and laughing while every so often glancing at Tom. A sharp pang in her heart brought tears to her eyes and she didn't realize that she hadn't begun to eat until Severus elbowed her. "Eat. You seem out of it" he said.

"I suppose. I was actually hoping things would be different this time" she muttered as Severus rose an eyebrow. "Never mind" she said quickly as she began to eat her dinner peacefully. Glancing at Dumbledore, she saw the ever knowing glint in his eye. After dinner she had a professor approach her. "Ms. Bellona, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you" said the professor. Lia sighed and followed them all the way to Dumbledore's office. "Lemon Drops" said the professor as the stair case appeared.

Lia walked up the steps and into Dumbledore's office, smiling at the Phoenix she saw sitting there. "His name is Fawkes" said Dumbledore as he appeared. Lia glanced at the elderly wizard whose warm blue eyes twinkled at her. "It is good to see you again Auxiliadora" he said as he sat down. "Yes, it is good to see you too Professor Dumbledore" she said, smiling warmly at him.

"Have you heard from him?" asked Dumbledore. "No. Ever since our time at Hogwarts I have not heard anything from him" said Lia. "He is recruiting people. I would be wary of those in your house" Dumbledore cautioned. "I won't be played the fool again this time Professor. He was a very convincing liar" Lia said bitterly. "That's why I'd like to train you in Occulumency. You've heard of that haven't you?" Dumbledore asked. "Closing one's mind off so that another wizard can not see into your mind with Legilimens" Lia said. "Very good. You were always a bright student" Dumbledore recalled warmly.

"Professor, I think it would be best that no one knew my true name or my history" said Lia as she revealed the Ouroboros Ringlet that was on her left wrist. Its glistening gold form was gnarled into an intricate shape of the serpent eating its own tail. Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly. "So you have indeed found it" he muttered. "Yes sir. I believe that he'll come looking for me. I have something he's seeking so it'll only be a matter of time before he finds me" Lia said as she helped herself to some candies that were on Dumbledore's desk.

"I do believe it wise that you create another personality while you are here Auxiliadora. You wouldn't want people to find out about this would you?" asked Dumbledore. "No, you are right" she said. "Now how do you purpose we get you in here for training?" he asked with a light tone. She smirked and chuckled. "I suppose I could get into a bit of trouble here and there, only the right amount to land me here. Nothing really serious sir" she said.

"Well then Ms. Bellona, I hope you enjoy your term at Hogwarts" said Dumbledore as he showed her out. Before they parted ways, he left her with a few more words.

"This is your story. There will be challenges you must face, demons you must conquer. But this will always be your story. Help will always be given to those who ask for it"

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><p><em>Author's note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	25. Bulletproof

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial as usual for her support. I'm glad you liked the intro chapter to the Marauder's Era arc. It took me awhile to make it flow just right. I'm glad that you liked it_

**_Disclaimer: I think at this point we all know I only own my characters and my plot. Everything else from the Magical World of Harry Potter is property of J.K. Rowling_**

_Song of the chapter: Bulletproof by La Roux_

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><p>The next day Lia rose to her feet earlier than most of the other Slytherins and made haste in getting ready. When she was finally dressed for the day, she headed down into the common room and almost instantly was bombarded with memories of the past. Before her were ghostly images of her sitting beside an eleven year old Tom Riddle before the fire place, then he morphed into a fifteen year old. He had his arms wrapped around her as she shook in despair from the loss of her family.<p>

Fury burned under her calm exterior and she was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear someone approaching her. "Aren't you going to breakfast?" asked a calm, almost emotionless voice. Lia jumped and turned to find Severus staring at her oddly. "Yeah. Come on, we'll go together" she said with a slight smile. Severus walked in front of her and she was silent the whole way to the Great Hall until it finally sunk in that she needed to re-envision herself. She couldn't be the way she was in Hogwarts her first time around.

Glancing around the other students, she noticed a few faces that were in her year. She had been placed in her fourth year alongside Severus and Lily, something that made Lily ecstatic and Severus a little more tolerable. Upon entering the Great Hall, Lia caught the gaze of Sarah and excused herself from Severus' side. "I'll meet up with you and Lily in a moment. I just want to go talk to a friend of mine" said Lia as she practically ran to the table. The Hufflepuffs stared at her like she was insane, after all she was in Slytherin. But she smiled warmly at them and sat down beside Sarah.

"So how are you adjusting?" asked Lia. Sarah almost seemed beside herself that a fourth year was speaking to her, a Slytherin fourth year. Lia turned slightly to see her house seething in anger and she grinned wickedly at them. "My parents are proud of me. They told me that though I did not carry on the tradition of the Brightman family being in Ravenclaw, that I will still be destined for greatness in Hufflepuff. They told me they wanted me to follow my heart and do what makes me happy" said Sarah. Lia patted her on the shoulder. "See? I told you it would work out" said Lia. "Why are you here?" questioned a Hufflepuff third year. "I met Sarah the day of sorting. I just wanted to see how she was adjusting" Lia explained. "But your house-" the girl continued.

Lia stared at her with a fierce gaze. The girl recoiled and Lia shook her head. "My house may be like my family, but most of their ideals will never be my ideals. They are, quite literally, a house full of snakes. Always looking for a chance to stab another in the back if it will further their goals. I'd rather make a name for myself through hard work. I don't care much for harming others" Lia said as she rose to her feet. "Now I bid you all good day. I have to go eat with some other friends" she said with a smile as she waved to Sarah and the now shocked Hufflepuff table.

Sitting down beside Lily and Severus, it took Lia a moment to realize that Lily had seated herself at the Slytherin table. "Why are we not over at the Gryffindor table?" Lia asked as she drank her pumpkin juice and nibbled on bacon. "Please! I'd rather not be sitting near that arrogant oaf" said Lily as she mentioned James. Lia laughed and ignored the Slytherin's glares. "What class do we have first today?" Lia asked Severus. "Flying" he said with a hint of distaste.

Lia smirked and Lily rose an eyebrow. "Why on Earth are you smirking Lia?" asked Lily. "Because my...grandfather taught me how to fly. He always used to pride me on my abilities" she said with a wicked grin despite the pain of having to lie about the fact that it was actually her brother who taught her. She couldn't let them know that her brother would've had to been at Hogwarts way before her. "So we're with the Gryffindors today?" Lia asked Severus. "Unfortunately" he muttered. "Great!" she said as the trio finished their food and headed to the flying pitch, ignoring the glares from a very suspicious group of Gryffindors and the entirety of the Slytherin house.

Upon entering the Flying pitch, Lia looked at the broom in her hand. It had been a gift from Dumbledore when she had owl'd him prior to the term alerting him to her plans. He figured her old broom would have given her away and so he had managed to get his hands on one of the best brooms out there. '_Something about showing off'_ she thought with a laugh as she mounted the broom. No one was out at the pitch besides Lily and Severus so she figured it would be a good time to get some practice in.

Flying around the pitch, she made loops in the air and sharp turns as she grinned wildly before the infamous arrogant voice of James Potter sliced through the air. "You're good, second to me" he said with a confident grin. "Evans, how about a date?" he asked as he saw her standing beside Severus. Lia flew up to him and glared dangerously at him, making him take a step back and gaining a smirk from Severus.

"Want to put your money where your mouth is Potter? You see this?" said Lia as she pulled out a shiny golden rubber bouncy ball from her robe pocket. "This is a Muggle item called a bouncy ball" she said as she pulled her wand out from her other pocket and charmed the ball to grow wings and fly around like a Snitch. "And now it is a makeshift snitch. If I catch it, you'll have to leave Lily and Severus alone for a whole month. If you catch it" she said before James cut her off. "I get a date with Evans" he said with a smirk. "You're on" said Lia with a wicked grin. Lily looked horrified and Severus looked about ready to kill her but she flew over to them and whispered.

"Don't worry. I won't lose" she said as turned to watch James mount his broom. "How can you be so sure?" hissed Severus. "I've been playing Quidditch for far longer than Potter has. Just trust me" Lia said as Lily nodded and Severus narrowed his eyes. If he had any suspicions about Lia before this, her comment now had not helped quell them. But he accepted her response and watched as she and James got ready to hunt for the makeshift snitch. Letting go of the ball, she watched as James took off before she could even say go.

"Cheater" she snarled to herself as she quickly caught up to him. If James was surprised, he did not show it as she passed him. He scowled and went to cut her off, but found he was too slow. Lia was already ahead of him and had spotted the tiny flying gold ball. He smirked as he followed her and when he got close enough to her, he tried to shove her off her broom. Lia, having seen his movements had swerved at the right time to cause him to fall off his broom and land on his ass on the ground. When she landed, she was holding the ball in her hand and had removed the charm.

"Looks like you'll need a new past time Potter" said Lia as she noticed the other students had joined them and the Professor was staring at her with an unreadable expression. James glared at her and made his way back to his friends, the lot of them glaring at her as well. Murmurs were heard throughout the crowd as everyone stared in shock that the Gryffindor's Glory player had been defeated. The head of the Slytherin Quidditch team approached her. "Professor, may I speak with Ms. Bellona?" she asked. "Yes of course. Everyone else we will begin the lesson" said the professor as the girl lead Lia away from the crowd.

"My name is Emma Vanity. I would like to commend you on your wonderful flying skills. Where did you ever learn to fly like that?" asked Emma with a wide grin. "My grandfather" Lia said. "I would like you to join the Slytherin Quidditch team. However, Regulus Black is our Seeker so perhaps you can be one of our Chasers?" asked Emma. "Do I get to play against the Gryffindor team?" Lia asked, her eyes narrowing at Potter who was scowling the whole lesson. "Will you be determined to practice every day for the next three weeks? Because our first game with Gryffindor will be three weeks from now" said Emma. "I'll do it. I just want that annoying prat to leave my friend alone" Lia said. Emma beamed and patted her shoulder. "Great! Well then practice will be later today when classes are over" she said as they went back to the class.

Once class was over, Severus and Lia couldn't calm Lily down from her excitement. "You are a chaser on the Slytherin team! You'll be able to put Potter in his place" exclaimed Lily as Lia sighed with a grin. "Let's wait until the day OF the match to get all excited now Lily" said Lia as Lily laughed. Severus just rose an eyebrow but said nothing as he glanced at a now furious James Potter and his friends. "Say Severus, who are the other two boys with Potter?" Lia asked. "Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew" he said simply. "The sickly looking one and the mouse?" Lia asked. Severus nodded. "I don't trust Peter" Lia said as she saw Peter met her gaze and scurried behind Sirius.

Severus, Lily, and Lia made their way down to the Quidditch pitch where they saw the Slytherin team all geared up and flying around. Emma caught sight of Lia and dragged her towards the center. "Everyone, this is Lia Bellona. She'll be one of our Chasers" said Emma. "The girl who sat with the Hufflepuffs?" hissed a boy who looked suspiciously like Sirius, just with a more unfriendly face. "Do you have a problem with who I choose to sit with?" Lia questioned fiercely. The boy sneered at her. "Regulus stop this" said Emma. "She's not worthy enough to be on this team" Regulus said. Lia smirked and placed a hand on her hip before meeting his gaze. "You say that as if I actually cared what you had to say. I am on this team whether you like it or not, that doesn't make you my friend. Because I choose to sit with what you apparently deem as 'unworthy selections' you'll cast me aside. Very well, and I suppose you believe in that pureblood mania?" said Lia, earning herself nastier looks from the rest of the team.

"And you don't?" hissed the Keeper. Lia smirked and walked away to get changed. "Nope" she said once she returned. The team kept her at arms length but never out of the drills. Regulus watched her and had to begrudgingly admit she was a wonderful flyer, a natural. On the field she became ruthless and he had to smirk a couple times where she almost knocked Richard, their keeper, off his broom with the force she threw the Quaffle. Then his gaze narrowed dangerously as he spotted his brother and his friends walking onto the field with the Gryffindor Quidditch team trailing them.

"How about a sparring match?" asked James with a confident smirk on his face. Lia grinned and hung upside down from her broom, scaring everyone into thinking she was going to fall. Severus met her eyes and he smirked when he saw her flip back onto her broom, sitting on it sideways. "Ready to lose again Potter?" she taunted, earning a few chuckles from her team. James fumed and when Emma agreed to the match, took his position. When the match started, Lia flew out towards the Quaffle.

James held it in his hands and when Lia approached him, he dodged with a confident smirk. Lia chuckled and began to toy with him until finally coming up to him and sharply elbowing him, causing him to drop the Quaffle. She grabbed it and flew off towards his team's keeper, throwing the Quaffle through the lower left goal post and scoring. James glared at her and Lia stuck her tongue out at him, her team laughing at his humiliation and congratulating her. The remainder of the game went on like that and when Regulus had finally caught the Snitch, James was covered in bruises. "You play dirty and broke more than a dozen Quidditch rules" he snapped at her.

Lia dropped of her broom and came to stand before him with a glare on her face. "Don't you dare preach about rules to me Potter. You've broken a dozen school rules with you consistent hexing of innocent students. And for what? You were bored? You are no better than the Slytherins you claim to hate" she snapped, slapping him across the face. "I better not hear of you harming Severus again. Should I hear that you hexed him, or that you pursued Lily, I'll make sure to humiliate you further" Lia said and turned on her heel to walk away when James called back to her.

"Why do you care so much about Snivellus? He's worthless" said James. Lia's temper flared and she whirled around on him once more. "How dare you!" she screamed before pulling out her wand and aiming at him. Muttering a spell, a pinkish blue spark shot out at him. It hit him and when he went to laugh, he found it came out a girlish giggle instead. "what did you do to me?" he cried incredulously. His voice was no longer boyish, no now it was the voice of a girl. Lia smirked as she joined Lily and Severus. "That will be your first warning Potter" she said as she walked away.

She didn't even make it out of the Quidditch pitch before Professor McGonagall appeared before her. "Professor Dumbledore would like to have a word with you Ms. Bellona" she said as the Gryffindors cheered and the Slytherins booed. Lia smiled at her two friends before following the professor to Dumbledore's office.

He wanted to see her, but not for the reason that the Gryffindor's had thought. _'This time, I'll be bulletproof. I won't let myself be used, not this time'_ she thought determined to separate herself from her past, and Dumbledore was just the man to help her with that.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	26. The Poison

_Author's Note: thank you Aalyrial for you fantastic support! Of course I will always be mentioning you in shout outs, you are my number one fan and reviewer. Your support and feedback means a lot to me. Even if I don't get a lot of reviews for this story, the fact that I have a least one loyal reviewer makes me keep writing! :D And that's why there's so many updates!_

**Disclaimer: At this point I am rather sick of typing this seeing as we all know I don't own anything Harry Potter related. All I own is my characters and my plot. Anything Harry Potter related is property of J. K. Rowling**

Song of the chapter: The Poison by the All American Rejects from the Alice In Wonderland soundtrack

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><p>Lia sat in Dumbledore's office weary and sweating. For what felt like an eternity she had her memories looked at, inspected under scrutiny and she couldn't rid herself of the feeling of being violated. Panting, she sipped at the cold water that Dumbledore had conjured up in a goblet for her. "Would you like to rest?" he asked her. "N-n-no. <em>He-he<em> wouldn't...rest if _he_ were doing this" Lia muttered in between breaths. It had become an unspoken rule to never mention _Tom Riddle_ by name. Dumbledore smiled sadly at her.

He had seen her in _his_ arms, being comforted and cared for. _He_ had lulled her into a false sense of security while silently ripping everything that kept her grounded. _His_ presence poisoned her and she knew deep in her heart that she would never truly escape _him_. Dumbledore had seen the moments of humanity in_ him_, the moments that flickered and then were snuffed out. Something about the girl before him made Dumbledore question just how far her feelings for _him_ went.

But he didn't need to ask. He saw the image of her writing something down on parchment after witnessing something so horrible, she dared not speak of it. But Dumbledore had seen it, he had seen _him_ split his soul. He saw the poem she wrote on the parchment, something to clear her head. But Dumbledore knew it held a deeper meaning. A soft melody had played in her head as she wrote the poem, she hummed it lightly and Dumbledore tried not to smile.

_And you fall down a hole_

_That's the one place we both know_

_You take me with you if you could_

_But I wouldn't go_

_I guess that sometimes we both lose our minds_

_Find a better road_

_I can be pensive_

_You can be so sure_

_You'll be the poison_

_You'll be the cure_

_I'm alone on the journey_

_I'm alive none-the-less_

_And when you do your very worst_

_It feels the best  
><em>

_He_ never loved her, _he_ could not feel love. A person who was conceived under the influence of a Love Potion would never feel that particular emotion. Not that they chose not to, but because they couldn't. It was as if a light switch was turned off forever. And Dumbledore pitied the boy. But as he witnessed Lia's memories, her nightmares, he saw that maybe the boy showed things in a different fashion. _He_ could never love her, not properly, but he _tried_ to. Dumbledore witnessed _him_ struggle with an unseen force, an inner struggle that shed light on_ his_ actions.

Dumbledore always was suspicious of _him_. But he never felt the need to keep an eye on _him_ whenever she was with him. If there was a monster it was carefully hidden...as if _he_ did not wish for her to see it. As Lia pulled herself up from the floor, a determined fire burned in her eyes. "Again" she said. "I do believe you've done enough tonight Ms. Liddell" said Dumbledore. "No Professor. I want to do it again...I need to" she said standing straight. "I want to try again" Lia said. Dumbledore only nodded and in an instant he was back in her mind. This time a soft voice of velvet met his ears.

_"Can't you see the faces melting as the sun rains for their eyes"_ cooed the voice as it enveloped him. _"Go on and keep your head with the hearts that you left behind. Look at yourself, look in the mirror, don't you see a lie? That you tell yourself again a thousand times. And the truth that makes us laugh will make you cry, you wanna die? No?"_ the voice said before vanishing.

Dumbledore stared at her. "Auxiliadora, I think tonight is over. Please go rest. You need it" commanded Dumbledore. "Yes sir" she said in a defeated tone. Collecting her items and the parchment that told all Prefects and Professors that she was returning from detention and should be excused for being out past curfew. "Auxiliadora, one more thing before you leave" said Dumbledore as he sat down. Lia glanced at him over her shoulder, a pained look in her eyes.

"You have many demons you must face. But none are as deadly as he is. Are you sure, that should the time come for you to meet him face to face again, that you can cast aside all feelings?" asked Dumbledore. Lia sighed and shook her head. "We never forget our first loves Professor. And I know he's evil, I know he's done bad things and will continue to do bad things. Part of me wants to run away, wants to fight him but the other part of me wants to be by his side. Even though he'll never love me, I want to be there" she said sadly. "And what frightens me is I do not know what part of me is strongest" said Lia.

"Your poem" Dumbledore mentioned and Lia felt her heart drop. "The part of you that wants to stand by his side is strongest Ms. Liddell. Should the time come, I fear you may not be able to resist him" said Dumbledore, mentioning his fears for the first time that night. Lia held onto the door frame to brace herself as his words sank in. He was right and it pained her to admit it. "Good night Auxiliadora. Tomorrow will be a brighter day" said Dumbledore as she practically ran out of his office.

It wasn't until she made it to the sanctuary of the Slytherin common room did she break down into tears. She cried until the pain became numb and when she lifted her head, she saw that her sketchbook was on the table. Ever since that disastrous day in her fifth year, her sketchbook was filled with images of him. Memories, nightmares, they were both well documented in her sketchbook. An assortment of flowers held deeper meaning her artwork and she felt her world fall down around her.

"Lia?" came the monotone voice of Severus Snape as he stepped from the shadows and observed her. "Oh...hey Severus" she said sadly. He rose an eyebrow and sat down. It was uncomfortable at first but she still appreciated his effort. Something inside told her that he was only doing this for Lily's sake. But she took the company she was given. "Is there something bothering you?" Severus asked a tad bit harshly. "Demons" she muttered. He looked at her oddly. "This room is filled with memories I'd rather not relive. There was a boy I used to know. He was so infatuated with the Dark Arts and making a name for himself that he distanced himself from the world. He liked it that way. But the world also turned its back on him as well. He was unusual, different. A dark cloud hung over him and it scared everyone away" she said.

Severus inwardly groaned. He had only asked her if she was alright, not for her to tell him exactly what was wrong. She had better been grateful that he was doing this, he knew that if Lily had found out he did nothing to comfort their newly acquired friend that she'd tear him a new one. "There was something off about him, ominous even. He was a perfect student, almost too perfect. But when something bad happened to others, a dark gleam would light up in his eyes and the coldest smirk would form on his face. I fell in love with him, he was poison and I knew it but I couldn't turn my back. He...ended up being there for me when my family died. But in the end...I was just a puppet to him" Lia said as the tears fell from her eyes.

And he felt bad. He had given her an excuse to open up to him and he saw it pained her. Lily was sure to have his hide now should she ever find out about this. When Lia wiped her tears, she was still clutching the sketchbook dearly to her chest. "The Dark Arts took everything from me. And a strong infatuation with it is disastrous" she murmured. "But it grants one power" Severus said. Lia turned to him and he winced at the look in her eyes. "All the power in the world won't stop you from losing a loved one" she said as she rose to her feet. "You're a fool, of course it will" Severus snapped at her. "No...You are the fool for believing it will" Lia said as she headed up to be. "Good night Severus".

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	27. A Tender Moment

_Author's Note: Thank you Aalyrial for you support! Yes this is probably the shortest chapter ever written for this story, but I wanted to put a little LilyXSeverus fluff in here. This actually holds a meaning, though it seems distracted from the main plot. It'll play a part in later chapters. _

**_DISCLAIMER:__ I only own my characters and my plot. Anything Harry Potter related is property of J.K Rowling_**

_Song of the chapter: A Tender Moment from the Homestuck Vol. 6 Heir Conditioning soundtrack. **I advise listening to it for this chapter. It sets the mood **_

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><p>The next day Lily searched high and low for any sign of Lia, but found the girl had practically vanished without a trace. With a slight pout, she headed out onto the grounds and found a secluded spot under a tree by the black lake. The air was warm and still, with tiny rays of sun light breaking through the branches of the tree. As she sat there, Lily began to drift off into a light slumber until a familiar voice echoed in her ears.<p>

"Lily" said Severus as he sat down beside her. The half asleep red head had smiled at her best friend and moved closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder like it was a pillow. Ignoring the fact that his body tensed up, she opened her eyes and stared at the bright diamonds reflecting off the surface of the lake. "I spoke with Lia last night" Severus said softly. Lily's eyes widened and she looked up at her best friend. "Really?"she exclaimed. "She was upset" he said.

"Oh. What did you speak to her about?" Lily asked as she tried to stifle a yawn. Severus smiled softly at her and hoped to Merlin she didn't see the blush forming on his face. "Her past. It seems to be an issue for her. She was speaking to me about some boy she used to love" Severus said, a hint of disdain in his voice. Lily sighed and sat up straight. "We never forget our first loves Severus. This boy must have really hurt her" Lily said.

"She said that he lost himself in the Dark Arts but that he also had a darker side to him" Severus said. Lily frowned and rested her head on her arms as she pulled her knees up to her chest. "Sounds a lot like you" she said quietly. Severus stared at her incredulously, not understanding what she meant. "You have always had a love for the Dark Arts and at first I thought it was something that would go away, but you only grew to love it more. Those friends of yours are dangerous" Lily said. Severus felt his heart drop at her words. He was making her worry about him and his decisions.

"But Lily, it could be the opportunity I've always wanted to make myself great" Severus said, trying to defend himself. "And what if it isn't Sev? What then?" Lily asked quietly. He didn't have an answer for that and he shook his head. "Lia also said that all the power in the world couldn't keep your loved ones from leaving" he said. "She's right" Lily said. "How is she right?" Severus exclaimed. "With all that power one could keep another alive forever, to never lose another person" he said.

Lily shook her head and gazed at her best friend. "Only for them to be living on borrowed time. You are cheating death Sev" she said. He sighed and ran a hand through his stringy, greasy hair. Lily smiled at him and rested her head against his shoulder once more. He felt himself blushing once more and thanked Merlin she closed her eyes. "I thank you for being a friend to her Sev. I know it's difficult for you to make friends" she said sleepily. Severus smiled and wrapped his arms around her, holding her closely. "She needed someone there for her and there you were" Lily said with a yawn. "You...you are...a wond...er...ful...frie...nd" she said between yawns before she fell asleep in the warm sunlight under the tree. Severus smiled and allowed himself to plant a feather light kiss on the top of her head. "I only did what I thought you would've done. You are better at that kind of stuff anyway Lily, because you are a better person than I could ever hope to be. That's why I care for you so deeply" he whispered softly.

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><p>A pair of envious eyes glared from behind a pair of glasses in the distance. He couldn't wrap his head around why someone like Lily Evans would want anything to do with a boy like Severus Snape. It made no sense but he was going to do everything in his power to get her away from him. It would only be a matter of time.<p>

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><p><em>Author's Note: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but it was meant to be short and sweet yet the conversation between Lily and Severus will come into play later in the story. I hope you enjoyed it, thank you for reading<br>_


	28. True Love Hurts, This Could Almost Kill

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her usual and wonderful support. For those who read and do not review, there is a collaboration story in the works between Aalyrial and myself! Please go check it out!_

_**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT FOR MY PLOT AND MY CHARACTERS! ANYTHING HARRY POTTER RELATED IS J.K. ROWLING'S PROPERTY!**_

_Song of the chapter: The Harold Song by Ke$ha _

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><p>Lia hadn't wanted to return to Dumbledore's office that night. The memories she was forced to relive pained her and she couldn't escape the feeling of love towards that evil boy that welled up in her heart. Clutching her chest, she rounded the corner of the corridor and she didn't care where she was going. Fight or flight, she would always chose flight when it came to her past. She wasn't ready to let go, nor was she ready to face it. With a sigh she turned around and saw a ghostly form before her.<p>

Tears streamed down her face as she witnessed the ghost of Ashley sitting on the ground before her. "Lia" breathed Ashley as she stood up, not knowing what to do. "Ash..." Lia said, her voice cracking as she witnessed the memory of Ashley's death. She did not need to be there to know how she died, Ashley had told her that day in the Chamber what happened. "You...returned?" asked Ashley, confused by her friends return to the very school she had left all those years ago.

"I found it" said Lia as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Ashley glanced at her with sorrow in her eyes. "You know _he_ came looking for you after that day. He came to me demanding to know your whereabouts. I have never seen him take off running before in the entire time we knew him" Ashley said. "We never knew him Ashley. We saw what he _wanted_ us to see. He played us all, he played me..." Lia said as she fell to the floor. "I know...we all thought it would be safer for you to avoid him, but you were drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I need to ask one thing Lia...why?" asked Ashley.

"He was an enigma Ash. I had met him before I met you guys and the way he composed himself, the way he spoke, it was mysterious. Almost as if in a trance I began to feel myself being pulled towards him" whispered Lia. "He was manipulating you all this time?" Ashley snarled. "At first, I don't think so. But then when you tried to keep me from him, he began to hold on tighter. He...was always different to me than he was to others. He was malicious, cruel, even evil to others but when it came to me he would restrain whatever darkness that was burning in his heart" Lia said. "He used your feelings against you" Ashley snarled as she kicked the wall, her foot going through it.

"You know he cannot feel love right? He is incapable of loving" Ashley explained. The familiar sharp feeling similar to being stabbed spilled forth from her heart. Holding her chest, Lia pulled her legs up towards her body. "I know that Ashley...I knew it by the way he acted. It was never a caring embrace he held me in, it was possessive. I was his possession. He wanted everyone to know it. I was a toy he played with" Lia said as her tears feel freely. Ashley sighed and glanced at her friend sadly. "You've been with Dumbledore lately" said Ashley.

"How did you know?" Lia asked after her tears began to slow down. "He actually told me. He told me that he had a feeling you would try to run from the demons you were being forced to face" Ashley explained. Lia chuckled and wiped her tears away, giving her dead friend a sad smile. "So Dumbledore tried to get you to convince me to go back to his office?" Lia asked. Ashley gave Lia that smile that Lia had missed. Ashley had always had this smile that was both a wicked grin and a playful smirk, it would reach her eyes and made them twinkle with mischief. "Did it work?" she asked. Lia laughed, a sound that mimicked the gentle sounds of a wind chime. Ashley had missed that sound. How long had it been since she had laughed like that?

"I'll go" Lia said as she turned to leave. "Oh and Ashley" Lia said as she halted moving, turning around to face her friend. A lively smile formed on her face in the first time in years, a sentiment reminiscent of their first year at Hogwarts. If she weren't dead, Ashley knew that smile would have warmed her soul and assured her that her friend would be alright. "Thank you. You always were like the twin sister I never had. I appreciate all that you did for me. Even though you are no longer on this plane of existance, I am glad to know you aren't forever gone" Lia said as the tears formed once more. Ashley smiled back and went to wipe her friend's tears despite her being a ghost. "And you were always like a twin to me too Lia. That's why I was always so protective of you. You were the sibling I never had. If I can continue to help you, then I am glad to be dead" Ashley replied.

Lia went to leave when Ashley spoke up once more. "He seemed different when he came to look for you. It was as if he hadn't slept in weeks, he was torn between something he had to do and something he wanted to do. He was in immense pain, as if something was killing him from the inside. When I went to try to get him help, he snapped and became a completely different person. His eyes...they turned red like they had in the Chamber" Ashley said. Lia nodded, keeping her words close as she left to return to Dumbledore's office.

When she finally made it to his office, she was pleased to see the kindly elderly man standing outside his office with that all knowing smile on his face. "Ah, Ms. Bellona, I see you have kindly decided to join me" said Dumbledore. "Yes Professor. I had a run in with an old friend. One you had visited" Lia said with a playful smile as they entered his office. "Ah yes, Ms. Greene. It is unfortunate that he had taken her life that day" said Dumbledore. He watched as her sorrow flickered behind her eyes. "Will you try again today?" he asked.

"Yes" she said determined to put up those mental barriers. She wouldn't let him read her mind, let him see how she felt. It would provide him with all the ammunition that he could ever want. Dumbledore commenced without another word and she was forced to relive the day of her family's murder. He saw the flash of vibrant green, the signal of the Killing Curse that killed the Riddle family. He know knew that his suspicions had been correct. Tom had killed his father's family before framing it on his uncle Morfin. He saw the flames that destroyed the Liddell house, he heard the horrid screams of her family as they perished.

He even saw the proud smirk of Tom as he held her in his arms. Shielding her from the flames, yet content with his grasp over her now fragile mind. The memory ended there as she pushed him out of her mind. Dumbledore stared at her with a proud smile as Lia gritted her teeth. "You have no right to see that" she snarled while Dumbledore knew it wasn't he she was mad at. It was the boy in her memory, the events that transpired. "Is there anything you'd like to say? Any rage you'd like to convey?" asked Dumbledore. Lia glanced at him and shook her head. "Can we try again?" she asked.

Dumbledore nodded and in an instant she was forced to revisit the Chamber of Secrets. He saw her embrace him, the amount of love she showed to him and then instantaneous change of his demeanor. Something about his form made Dumbledore raise an eyebrow, it went from stressed to straight backed, almost rigid. An air of superiority hung around him. Lia pushed him out of this memory as well, but she broke down shortly afterwards. She had lulled herself into a dreamless sleep while she cried. A knock came from the doorway and Dumbledore looked up from the sleeping form of Lia as the forms of Lily Evans and Severus Snape appeared before him.

"You called for us Professor?" Severus asked. Lily rushed over to Lia and brushed hair out of her face. "Yes. I would like it if you would bring her back to her dorm Severus, Lily" said Dumbledore. "But I am not a Slytherin" Lily said. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief. "Alas, that is true but Severus is not a woman. He cannot enter the girls dorms" he said with a knowing smile as Severus picked up Lia and the duo walked towards the dungeons. Dumbledore knew that he could have easily given Severus the permission needed to enter the girls dormitory in the Slytherin house, but he could see the early workings of a relationship between Ms. Evans and Mr. Snape. Best to give them both a little push in the right direction.

Lily and Severus had walked in silence as Severus fought back the urge to look at Lily as Lily held the parchment that Dumbledore had given them to excuse them being out at night and to also allow Lily into the Slytherin common room this one time. "That crazy old man could have given me permission to put her in her dorm" Severus muttered under his breath. "Sev, relax. He knew that we were looking for her and he only wanted us to know she was alright" Lily said. "Alright? The girl passed out" Severus said as Lily narrowed her eyes playfully at him. He could never argue with her. A golden glimmer caught his eye as his dark eyes locked onto Lia's left wrist.

His eyes widened as he saw the Ouroboros Ringlet gleaming at him. Looking towards Lily, he saw she did not see what he saw and so he quickly covered it back up. The gears in his brain began to run a mile a minute, but he found that though each plan had ended in them betraying her, he couldn't do it. Lily wouldn't allow him to turn his back on the only other friend he had. Glancing back down at Lia, Severus sighed at her weak form. Dumbledore had contacted them prior to his meeting with Lia saying that she would be needing assistance in order to return to her dorm. He only had told them that her demons would finally get the better of her.

And it would seem he was right. Lily looked at Lia and Severus hated the look of pain that crossed her features. "She lost a lot" said Lily softly. "I wonder how she finds the strength to keep moving forward. Its almost as if she hasn't ever been given a break" Lily said. "Or she hasn't ever given herself a break" Severus noted. Lily nodded as they finally made it to the Slytherin common room. Severus directed her to the girl's dormitory, but went back to the common room as Lily carried Lia's surprisingly light body to her bed. When Lia's head hit the pillow, she stirred.

_"Tom"_ moaned Lia as the tears streamed down her face again. Lily's heart broke as she watched her friend in her weakest moment. _"Young love murdered...is that what this is?"_ Lia cried in her sleep to an unseen foe. _"I don't want to be alone"_ she cried as she curled into a pitiful ball. Lily closed the curtains on her and then performed a charm to silence the sound of her sobs and cries, a charm she learned from Severus. Heading out of the room quietly, she made it back to the common room.

Severus looked up from his book and smiled softly at Lily. "I should get going" said Lily. "How is Lia?" asked Severus. "I put that charm you taught me on her bed so that the other girls would not hear" Lily explained. Severus beamed in pride at her as she flushed red. "Good thinking Lily" said Severus as she smiled. "Good night Sev" she said as she quickly hugged him before dashing out of the Slytherin common room. As Severus headed to bed, he cast one look at the girl's dorm and thought about Dumbledore's words to him earlier in the day.

_"It is not the darkness that scares us, it is what lurks in those shadows that frightens us. She has faced enough to make the darkness a truly frightening place. She has seen things that come alive in those deep depths. So when you find her weak, always remember that it is because of an inner strength she still is here today. Life has given her nothing but an unfortunate hand and no doubt she would rather live a life less frightening. Yet she presses forward, looking for the dawn. Because Severus, no matter how dark the night the morning **always** comes. And your journey begins anew"  
><em>

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<br>_


	29. Cute Without The E

_Author's Note: Thank you Aalyrial for your support! It always is lovely to see your reviews and it gives me more motivation to continue writing chapters as often as I do :)_

_**DISCLAIMER: I only own my characters and my plot. Anything Harry Potter related is property of J. K. Rowling**_

_song of the chapter: Cute without the E- Taking Back Sunday_

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><p>Lily did not know what to make of Lia when she saw her the next morning. It was as if the whole world became her enemy and she wouldn't even speak to Lily or Severus. It was odd to not have her interact with anyone. Dumbledore had warned them that she would probably become this way. It was a temporary thing but it also scared Lily. What made it worse was that the month long reprieve from James Potter and his friends had ended. <em>'Speak of the devil'<em> Lily thought as James walked over to them as they sat outside under a tree. Lia hadn't wanted to eat breakfast, she didn't want to sit at that table any longer than she had to. Severus saw James approaching and glared at him, but also looked at Lia to see what she would do. At first she was silent, her eyes staring at the Black Lake.

"Evans, come on you should really go out on a date with me" said James, his cocky smile on his face as Sirius chuckled and agreed with James. Lily narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "My answer will always be the same James, go away" she said as he tried to come closer, only to see Lia sitting there. "Aw look, its the reject Slytherin" sneered James as Lia turned her gaze on him. The fires burning behind them made Peter run away without a second thought. "What? were you picked on by your house? They don't like you? I don't even think any of the boys would even love you" James said, not knowing he was striking a nerve.

"Be quiet" she hissed at him. "You do not know anything about me so how dare you spit insults at me. You are no better than the rest of the Slytherin house with the way you act" Lia snarled as Sirius, James, and Remus took a step back. "Have you ever had to witness your family being killed before your very eyes? Have you ever had to know the pain of the truth that it was someone you loved who did it?" Lia snapped, warm tears of anger flowing down her cheeks. Lily winced as bits of Lia's past came out before her very eyes. She had figured it was bad, but her curious nature had been subdued when she saw how much pain she was in whenever it was mentioned. "I lost my family and a very close friend at the hands of a boy I had fallen in love with. He played me a fool and I know now that he never loved me. He cannot love" Lia said as she wiped her tears away. "He was like you Potter, always thought he was better than someone else. He thought he was entitled to get the things he wanted" Lia said as she rose to her feet.

"I told you to leave Lily alone" she said, changing the topic. Lily smiled at her friend, her concern and her protectiveness making Lily feel safe. Severus rose to his feet to defend Lily as well, for his own private reasons. "You said for a month" James countered, his tone light as if he knew that he had to be careful lest he wanted to anger her once more. "How about for the remainder of the year?" Severus sneered. James met his gaze and they glared at each other, both itching to hex the other into oblivion.

Lia sighed and though her temper did not go away, she tried to quell it. Sirius looked at her with an odd expression but backed off upon seeing her glare. "Potter she doesn't want you" snapped Severus. "Why doesn't she say it herself?" James countered. Lily snorted and stood up as well. "I've been trying to but you don't listen" Lily said as James rolled his eyes. "Just one date" he said. "She owes you nothing" Lia snarled as she dragged her two friends away. Lily then realized what day it was and with an excited grin she looked at her two angry friends. "Today is the Quidditch match against Gryffindor!" she exclaimed as an almost sinister grin formed on Lia's face. "Good. I want to make him pay" she said darkly. Severus rose an eyebrow though his face was impassive. Lily fought back a shudder as they went back inside and Lia retrieved her Slytherin Quidditch robes.

As they made their way down to the Quidditch pitch, they saw James' friends staring at them. Peter looked ready to run away from Lia, Remus was staring impassively at them, and Sirius was glaring. "You won't win" he said to Lia as they followed Lily, Lia, and Severus down to the pitch, much to the annoyance of Severus and Lia. "Want to make a bet?" Lia growled at him. Lily grinned as she saw that her friend was holding back her temper just so she can use it on the Quidditch pitch. "Yes actually I do" said Sirius with a grin. "tough luck" Lia said as she went into the Slytherin locker room.

The rest of her team mates were there and Emma sighed with relief at the sight of Lia. "We were nervous you wouldn't show up" she said. "No YOU were nervous" said Regulus as Emma blushed. Lia rose an eyebrow but smiled a bit at their interactions, "Don't worry. I wouldn't miss a chance to put Potter in his place" Lia said as the rest of the team cheered. When they were ready, they headed out onto the field and took their positions. Lia's gaze locked onto James' and she sneered as he did. They were both ready to make the other cry if they had to. James didn't want her embarrassing him again and she wanted him to leave Severus and Lily alone. This time, there was nothing holding her back.

When the match began, she flew forwards to grab the Quaffle. She could faintly hear James' growl behind her as she took off towards the goal. When she got closer to the goals, she threw it through the lower right goal, a smirk forming on her face as it went it. Lia could hear her team cheering for her as she moved away from the goal. Briefly scanning the crowd she saw Lily and Severus watching her, Lily screaming and cheering loudly for her while Severus smiled softly at the red head. Lia smirked when she saw the faint blush on his face before he turned to her and nodded. When she turned around, she narrowly avoided a Bludger and glared at the Gryffindor Beater who was smirking at her. James had the Quaffle and Lia grinned wickedly before flying up towards him. She flew above him and hung upside down on her broom with her legs wrapped around the stick of her broom. The crowd gasped and murmured about her actions but when James realized it was too late: She had stolen the Quaffle from him.

With a laugh, she flung it towards the other Chaser on her team who nodded as she rectified herself on the broom and followed her team mate to the goals again. He faked a throw into the goal before giving it to Lia who threw it in the now unguarded top goal. The keeper growled and she smiled at him before moving away from the goals. The rest of the match was like that, Lia deliberately showing off in order to show up James. And finally Regulus had seen the Snitch when a Bludger slammed into her back and knocked her off her broom. Lia plummeted down nearly a hundred feet as her team stared in horror and James laughed at her. Before she hit the ground, she was caught by Regulus who also had the Snitch in his hand. They had won the match as the Slytherin team and crowd cheered and the Gryffindors booed angrily.

Regulus laid Lia onto the grass as the team flew down to meet them and Lily and Severus rushed towards her. Her back was in immense pain, she was seeing stars and when she tried to move it felt like something was definitely broken. Hissing in pain, she turned to her friends and tried to smile. "You are idiotic Lia" said Severus as he stared at her. Lia chuckled and shook her head. "I know, but it was worth it. Plus my anger is out now" she said as everyone laughed. "Shall we call you the Slytherin's Princess of Wrath now?" Regulus joked and Lia's face became solemn. Everyone stared at her as she nodded after a moment of silence. "Sure" she said as Lily picked her up off the ground as Severus helped. "We'll bring her back" said Severus as the trio left.

Another moment of silence fell over them before Lily broke it. "When they mentioned that nickname, you got upset. Why?" she asked quietly. "My friends used to call me that" Lia said. Severus just listened to the conversation, not really caring about it. "Oh I'm sorry" said Lily as she thought Lia's friends had died. "It's ok. I'm fine now" said Lia. "You are a terrible liar Lia" said Severus. "Sev!" cried Lily as Lia shook her head. "No he's right. I am" Lia said with a small chuckle. They finally made it to the Hospital Wing where Madam Pomfrey began to panic. "Oh good heavens! What happened?" she asked. "Bludger hit her in the back, knocked her off her broom" said Severus. "I think...something is broken Madam Pomfrey" said Lia as she was laid upon a bed. "You are quite certainly right about that! You could have been paralyzed! Someone must be looking out for you dear" said Madam Pomfrey as she as she administered Skele-gro to Lia, who sipped it and spat some back out. "That's disgusting!" she exclaimed. Madam Pomfrey looked at her with an incredulous look. "What were you expecting, Pumpkin Juice?" she asked. Lia chuckled and forced herself to drink the rest.

Severus and Lily stayed with her until they were kicked out by Madam Pomfrey, leaving Lia there to lie in bed and think. Lia hated thinking, it always brought back the past. She could still feel the presence of Tom Riddle sitting beside her from her first time through Hogwarts. That memory pained her as she was asleep, but she knew he had often came to see her. Ashley had told her. As Lia cried, she tried to dispel the images of Tom but found she clung to them tighter and more desperately. Then a soothing presence washed over her but she knew that no one was there.

_"I'm coming for you"_ said a voice in the confides of her mind. Eyes widened as fear caused her heart to race, she knew that voice. But there was something odd about the voice. It was almost caring, soothing, and relaxing. It conveyed emotions that she knew the owner of the voice could not feel. Lia fell asleep that night, her heart being pulled back towards the darkness.

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><p><em>Author's Note: thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!<em> 


	30. Monster

_Author's Note: Thank you Aalyrial for your fantastic support and your review. You'll just have to keep reading to see what happens with Regulus and Lia_

_Also I did my research and found that this is the time where the First Wizarding War was going on, but there is a reason why it is only being mentioned now. Actually Dumbledore mentions it later in the chapter. _

**_DISCLAIMER: I only own my characters and my plot. Anything HP related is property of J. K. Rowling_**

_Song of the chapter: Monster by Paramore_

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><p>When Lia finally left the Hospital Wing, it had been three weeks since the match. Since then, she had learned that Severus had gotten picked on once more by James and his friends, worse this time, Lily had been asked out on a date almost every second of every day, and Regulus had detention for punching his brother and breaking his jaw. Lia could hear the voice in her head, it haunted her and lured her into the shadows but she tried to resist it. She wouldn't fall for him again.<p>

Sitting down at the Slytherin table beside Severus and Lily for lunch, she saw Regulus appearing from the corridor. "What's eating you?" Lia asked him. "My brother had suggested that I should have let you drop instead of catching you" said Regulus. Lia looked at him, shocked but shook her head. "You think that bloke would've learned from the jaw breaking incident" Lia muttered as Regulus smirked. "I hear that Lord Voldemort is looking for new recruits" said Regulus as he spoke to Severus. Lia's ears perked up and she narrowed her eyes. "Who is Lord Voldemort?" she asked. This earned her a bunch of cruel snickers from those around her. "Only the most powerful wizard of the time!" said Regulus as he went on and on about this Voldemort.

"He's nothing more than a murderer" hissed Lily. Lia glanced at the Daily Prophet to see news on deaths that have been occurring. _"Don't be mad"_ came his voice again. She clutched her hand into a fist, causing her friends to look at her. _"I need you"_ his voice echoed like sonar in her mind. "Lia?" asked Lily. "I'm fine" said Lia as she continued to read the Daily Prophet. She was shocked and horrified to see her bird skull necklace in the paper. It was a sign, he was calling out to her. Lia's temper flared as she ripped up the paper and noticed the scared looks on her friend's faces. "Lia what has gotten into you" questioned Regulus.

"Something from my past. It's nothing" Lia said dismissively. "Shouldn't you be over that by now?" asked Regulus. The moment those words passed his lips he regretted it. She glared at him and rose to her feet. "I'd like to see you get over having everything you ever cared about being ripped forcefully away from you" she seethed as she left the Great Hall, leaving an angry Lily and an impassive Severus with a very remorseful Regulus. Sirius watched her leave and motioned to his friends, James' face lighting up as he headed towards Lily. Remus, however, got up and went after the girl leaving Sirius confused.

Lia stared at the lake, a habit she had formed to calm herself down. _"Come back to me"_ he whispered. "No. I won't return. You took everything from me" she said softly. "You know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness" came a rather calm and soft voice. Lia turned to see Remus Lupin standing there with his hands behind his back. This was the first time they had ever spoken and Lia gave him a small smile. She couldn't hate him, he hadn't done anything to her or her friends.

"You know I am very sorry for my friend's behaviors. Sometimes they get out of control" he said. "You shouldn't apologize for them" Lia said. Remus chuckled. "I know, but they won't ever apologize too thick headed you see" he said. "I know that all too well" Lia said with a chuckle. "So what caused you to storm away from your friends?" he asked. "Regulus said something incredibly stupid. I guess it runs in the family" she said, bitterness rushing through her words. "Sirius and Regulus haven't seen eye to eye in years. His family is pureblood you see. But Sirius turned his back on that mania, and ended up in Gryffindor. While his brother, Regulus, had gotten into Slytherin and became the family favorite" Remus explained.

"She doesn't need to know this" said Sirius as he approached the duo. "What are you doing here?" Lia questioned, bristling with annoyance. "To figure out what my git of a brother had said to make you angry" Sirius explained. "Why on earth do you need to know that? Since when did you care about me? Hmm?" Lia questioned, her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised. Sirius rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't care much for Snivellus, but you are Lily's friend. I don't want to cause her to hate James...well anymore then she already does" he quickly added when Lia gave him a look.

Remus just stared at the two. "Don't worry about me. Your brother is just a git" she said with a chuckle. "You always come back" his voice said. Lia held her head and shook it, trying to shake his voice from her head. Remus and Sirius stared at her oddly before Remus spoke up. "In order to become something new you must first rip yourself apart and rebuild yourself again.." he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Lia rose her eyes to meet his calming gaze and sighed. "You are right... there's a war going on and I'll be damned if I get dragged onto the wrong side" she said. "Aren't you pureblood?" asked Sirius. "Your point?" Lia asked.

"You hang out with Lily. Why?" he questioned. "Because I could care less about the pureblood mania, much like yourself. Muggleborns are no different from us and I see them as people, not enemies. Those who harm my friends, they are the enemies. I could care less if all of Slytherin hated me. I know they do, I have a friend in Hufflepuff, I speak with Lily, I fight with them constantly" she listed off the reasons why they hated her. "And frankly, I don't give a damn. I was ripped asunder by someone I loved, someone who ripped everything from me" Lia said.

Remus and Sirius stared at her, witnessing her transformation into someone else. "I won't sit by and let you or anyone else treat me like dirt. Lily and Severus, even Sarah, are the first friends I've had in a long time. If you don't like me or how I am with my friends, then that's all well and good but don't you ever dare treat them like dirt. I lost everything once, I won't let history repeat itself" Lia said with tears in her eyes. "I'll stop the world from turning into a monster" she muttered as they recovered from their shock.

"I had you all wrong it would seem" said Sirius. "You thought I was a manipulative snake who wanted to isolate Ivy and keep her from everything good?" Lia asked as she wiped the tears away. "Well yeah actually" said Sirius. "Hate to break it to you Sirius, but I wouldn't let James date Ivy if my life depended on it. He's a git, sorry but someone with that amount of arrogance is bad news" she said. "He's a good person, I swear on it" Sirius said, defending his friend. "Well when he shows that I'll believe you" Lia said as she left the two males and headed towards Dumbledore's office.

"You are here on your own free will? Oh what is the world coming to?" teased Dumbledore. "I have some questions for you" she said. "And what might that be?" asked Dumbledore. "Who's Lord Voldemort?" asked Lia. Dumbledore's face dropped and he turned away from her. "I had hoped that it wouldn't be until next year when you would ask...but surely you know who it is" said Dumbledore. Lia thought long and hard about who it could have been when the truth smacked her hard in the face. The pain sent her recoiling and she hissed as she realized. "Tom Riddle" she muttered. "Yes. He fastened himself a new name and shortly before your arrival here he had come asking for a job as the Defense Against The Dark Arts professor" Dumbledore explained.

"And you denied him?" Lia said. "Yes" said Dumbledore. Then another realization dawned on her. "That's when he questioned Ashley about my whereabouts! She had said that it had been after the Chamber of Secrets incident that he approached her, but she never said exactly when" she said. "That was another reason why I declined him. When your letter said you wanted to attend school here once more, I knew it would not be safe for you and him to be in the same building. He's succumbed deeper into the Dark Arts" said Dumbledore.

"How much deeper?" Lia asked, panic rising up from the pits of her heart. "He was once a handsome young boy, but now...he has begun to turn into a monster. His skin is paler and his eyes have taken on a reddish tint" Dumbledore explained. _"Don't hate me. Everything I do I do because I care"_ his voice said. "I keep hearing him Professor. He keeps speaking to me in my head. It's been like this since that incident at the last match" she said, revealing a secret she couldn't keep. Dumbledore abruptly rose to his feet. "What has he been saying? Auxiliadora I need to know" he said.

"He just said to me _'Don't hate me. Everything I do, I do because I care'._ Before he said to me _'come back to me'_, I saw my bird skull necklace in the paper asking for the owner to come retrieve it, and before that he said_ 'Don't be mad'_ and_ 'I need you'"_ Lia said. Dumbledore's face turned grave. "He's calling out to you. You two have a connection that goes deeper than I had expected. He won't stop until he gets you and with that gets what he wants" he said. "I know. Professor, I won't return to him. I can't. As much as I love him, as badly as I want him to love me back, I cannot have what happened happen again" Lia said as she rose to her feet.

Without another second being wasted, Dumbledore tried to enter her mind and was shut out. There was no way he break through her mind. Stopping his actions, he smiled proudly. "You have practiced" he said. "I cannot afford to lose anymore people to him" Lia said. "Have you tried showing only what you want another to see?" asked Dumbledore. "I'm not sure, but I will try" she said. He tried again and she showed him the moment of her 'transformation' as she called it. It was the moment just before where she defended herself. Dumbledore tried again and she showed him only her most fierce moments. When he stopped he smiled at her again. "I have nothing to teach you" said Dumbledore.

She thanked him and returned to her classes, and her friends. When she was gone the tension between her friends and James' group grew worse. She could cut it with a knife and stared at them sadly. Eventually one side was going to snap, and then all hell was going to break loose. Lia had gotten the feeling that next year was going to bring the storm right upon them...and how right she was.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed<em>


	31. You Left So Easily

_Author's Note: Thank you to Aalyrial for her support! This was actually the second time I had to write this chapter because my computer decided that it wanted to close out the program I was using without saving. So I hope it is a good chapter_

**_DISCLAIMER:** I only own my characters and my plot. Anything HP related belong to J.K. Rowling. The exact quotes from the books are hers as we all know.**_**

_Song of the chapter: Casablanca Sucked Anyway- A Day To Remember_

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><p><strong>Hogwarts: 5th year, 1975<strong>

Lia sat beside Severus outside on the grounds. It was a beautiful day out and the two were basking in a comfortable companionable silence. Lia and Severus never really needed to speak, they were more then comfortable with just sitting there silently. They often studied together, them and Lily as they prepared for their O.W.L.S.

However Lia had picked up the rift growing between Severus and Lily. As last year flew by, Lily had begun to become more exasperated with Severus' aspirations to becoming a Death Eater and his interest in the Dark Arts. The more she tried to talk him out of it, the more he assured her that he wasn't like his friends. By friends Lia knew he meant Mulciber and Avery. Lia couldn't stand those two. She had known their grandfathers, they were the "friends" of one specific wizard: Tom Marvolo Riddle.

_Lily's friends had tried to talk Lily out of being friends with Severus, a conversation that Lia had walked in on. At first Lily's friends shunned Lia, trying to force her away. It wasn't until she took a stand and showed them her true colors that were not so hidden by her Slytherin robe that her friends gained some respect and allowed her to talk to Lily. Then there was the other time where she had overheard Severus and Lily bickering. "I just don't want to see you be made a fool of — He fancies you, James Potter fancies you! And he's not…everyone thinks…big Quidditch hero — I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone thinks they are." Severus said to Lily, desperation hidden in his words._

_Lily had scoffed and shook her head. "I know James Potter's an arrogant toe-rag. I don't need you to tell me that." she argued back. Lia sighed when she heard them fighting, knowing that it was only a matter of time before this disastrous friendship blew up. It was ticking time bomb that was slowly nearing its end, but this time it was picking up the pace. Lia had quickly hid so that when Lily left the classroom Severus and she had been arguing in she wouldn't see her. After she left, Lia entered the room to find that Severus was staring out the window._

_"Why can't she just listen?" he questioned. Lia walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You love her don't you Severus?" she asked. He turned and glanced at her with distant, dark eyes. "How long have you known?" he asked. "Since the beginning of last year. I saw the looks you gave her, but I never opened my mouth" she said. "Thank you for that" he said quietly. "You are my friend. You may not trust me as much as Lily does, and you may not truly believe my stories, but one day I will explain everything to you for you are my friend and I do trust you" she said._

_"But why can't she see?" Severus questioned, his heart full of anguish. "She doesn't see because of the path you have chosen. Your friends hate Muggles, and in turn hate her and hate me because I am a blood traitor. But you, you are pureblooded" Lia said. Severus looked away and hung his head in shame. "I'm not even that" he muttered. "You are half-blood?" Lia asked. Severus nodded and she sighed. "Your secret is safe with me" Lia said as she pat his shoulder once more before leaving._

That day Lia had learned more about Severus Snape than most people had. Lily being the exception, however she had this nasty feeling in her gut. Glancing up from her book, she inwardly groaned when she saw Sirius, Remus, Peter, and James approach. Remus and Sirius looked at her with remorseful expressions before James smirked and cast a Levicorpus hex on Severus. He lifted off the ground and dangled above Lia. Severus' grey underwear was shown to everyone on the grounds, the embarrassment causing her to rise to her feet. "Knock it off Potter" Lia hissed.

He ignored her until Lily showed up. "You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone." she hissed at him. James' smirk only grew as he continued to dangle Severus above the ground. Lia met Severus' gaze and remembered him telling her that this hex was one of his creations. "Vulnera Sanentur, Muffliatio, Langlock, Levicorpus, Sectumsempra, and Liberacorpus" she muttered to herself as James spoke."I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on, go out with me and I will never lay a wand on old Snivelly again." he said. Lily rolled her eyes before responding. "I wouldn't go out with you if it were a choice between you and the giant squid!".

Lia pulled out her wand and pointed it at Severus, earning odd looks from everyone. With a wave of her wand, she muttered "Liberacorpus"and Severus landed on the ground. James glared at her, which she met with equal vigor. Severus began to lash out at James and his friends, not paying attention to his words. Time seemed to slow down as he seethed until time completely halted when those dreadful words spilled from his mouth.

"I'm going to be great one day. You'll see, I'll show you. I won't need the help of a Mudblood" said Severus. Everyone's eyes widened as Lily's filled with tears. This was it, the last straw and the end of the ticking time bomb. It was going to explode. Severus turned to Lily with a horrified look on his face. "I never meant to call you Mudblood, it just —" he stared before Lily cut him off. "Slipped out? It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can understand why I even talk to you. You and your precious little Death Eater friends ... You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine." she said as James yelled at him to apologize.

Severus couldn't help but feel hollow as the ramifications of what he had just done had set in. He walked away numbly, not even knowing where he was going but he only knew he was leaving the group behind. Lily then rounded on James, her hurt and anger not defusing. "You're as bad as he is..." she snapped. James looked at her incredulously. "What! I'd NEVER call you a — you-know-what!" he said. "Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can — I'm surprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK." she said before she too walked away from the group.

James stared, dumbstruck at what just happened before he turned to Lia. "You used a spell that Severus created against him" she said, glaring at him. "You humiliated him and because of you he lost his friendship with Lily" Lia growled. Sirius and Remus stepped back as Peter hid behind the tree, not knowing what to make of her anger. James just rolled his eyes. "He was already losing her friendship. He wasn't worth her time" he said. Lia's temper flared dangerously. "How dare you! He was more of a man than you will ever be. You treated him like dirt. Granted Severus was wrong with what he called Lily, but I blame you solely for that" Lia snarled as James' eyes widened.

"Now if you don't mind, I am going to find my two friends and comfort them" she said before turning her back on the group and rushing off. It took her awhile to find Lily, only to find her picking at her lunch with her friends. They saw her and smiled sadly at her. "Do you mind if I talk to her alone for a little bit guys?" Lia asked. They nodded and left Lia and Lily by themselves. "I can't believe he said that" Lily said as the tears fell from her eyes. "He made a mistake Lily" Lia said. Lily shook her head. "It was the last straw though Lia. He has become a boy I do not know. He's not the Sev I knew" she said sadly. Lia met her tearful gaze and something clicked inside her head.

"You love him" Lia said breathlessly. Lily nodded her head sadly. "Why haven't you ever told him?" Lia questioned. She knew that if Lily had told Severus, he'd abandon that Death Eater dream to be with her. He loved her that much to want to give her the world on a silver platter. "As I said Lia...he's not the boy I used to know" she said. Lia sighed and rose to her feet. "I need to find him" she said. Lily grabbed her sleeve and held her there, Lia glancing over her shoulder at her. "Don't tell him what I told you" she said. Lia sighed again and shook her head. "I won't Lily" she said.

"And...look out for Sev please. I don't want him to be alone now" she said. Lia looked at her with a determined look on her face. "I won't let him do anything stupid Lily.I promise that I will keep him safe to the best of my abilities. I refuse to let this war claim another friend" she said as Lily smiled sadly and she went to find Severus. It took her longer to find him than it took to find Lily and when she did, he was sitting in the library with Mulciber and Avery sitting with him. They glared at her and when Severus looked up, his eyes hardened.

"Can I speak with you Severus?" Lia said. Avery and Mulciber snickered. "I don't associate with Blood Traitors" Severus said. Lia's eyes hardened but she caught the glimmer of something in his dark eyes. _'Remorse. He's only trying to appease his friends'._ With a smirk, she bowed. "Well of course you don't" she said, mocking him with each word and movement. He sneered at her, but she could see he was trying not to smile. "Good day" she said, leaving the trio to their own devices. But when she glanced over her shoulder, she saw a piece of paper charmed to fly over to her while Avery and Mulciber weren't looking. Severus was smiling sadly at her and she nodded, walking away from him.

Opening the paper, she smiled when she read it.

_'Lia,_

_My deepest apologies for my actions. I was wrong and now you are the only true friend I have. I wish I could turn back time and prevent myself from losing her. What is so wrong with me that she would have left so easily? She made me so happy, she sparked a light inside. Now she's becoming nothing more than a memory...she threw away our friendship for a chance to leave me here...no...I was the fool who threw it all away...I should have told her I loved her, you were right. Please...look out for her. Protect her, even through all this I will always love her..._

_The Half-Blood Prince'_

Frowning at the note, she sighed and vowed to keep both promises to her friends. She would protect them both as best as she could.

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><p>When night fell, Lia sat on top of the Astronomy Tower, she saw figures rushing towards the Whomping Willow. Glancing at the sky, she saw it was a full moon and was curious as to what they were doing. With a small smile, she figured it was about time to find out what a group of students would be doing running towards a very painful tree.<p>

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!<em>


	32. Have Faith In Me

_Author's Note: Thanks to Aalyrial for her support. This chapter was meant to be cut short. I had intended it to be a glimpse into Auxiliadora's Animagus form._

_I do not believe that Animagi can converse fluently in their animal forms, but I wanted them to here because it would be a boring chapter without some conversation_

**_Disclaimer: I only own my characters and my plot. Anything HP related belongs to J.K. Rowling_**

_song of the chapter: Have Faith In Me- A Day To Remember_

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><p>Remus was in pain. The transformation was always painful and he wished it would stop. In the sanctuary of the Shrieking Shack, he waited for it to end. His bones burned as he became more lupine and as he tried to not scream, he let out a howl instead. Closing his eyes he tried to block out the sounds of the transformation. When everything subsided, he opened his eyes to see a stag, a black dog, and a rat in the room. They stared at him in a familiar way that reminded him of his friends. He let out a sad whimper when he realized that his wolf form wouldn't harm the other animals.<p>

It was a relief, especially when it became clear that the animals in the room were his friends. Inwardly he smiled. His friends hadn't abandoned him to be in such pain and alone on a full moon. They had worked hard to become Animagus so that they could be with him on the full moon, knowing that his werewolf form wouldn't harm animals. He was touched by such a sentiment until a loud roar echoed through the shack.

The other animals turned around and glanced at each other, wondering what in the world had made that noise but they had barely a moment to act when a brilliant white tiger with the most striking emerald eyes walked into the room. The black dog began to snarl at the tiger who just glanced at him. The tiger's eyes narrowed at the stag, who rose to its feet and began to pick at the dirt with it's hooves. The tiger sat down and with its claws dug into the boards, leaving the word _'Lia'_ in the floor.

The stag's eyes widened before it sat down as the black dog turned to look at the stag, wondering what had caused the leader to sit down. The stag motioned to the name and the dog sat as well, now barking happily at the tiger. Remus was beside himself. Lia was the white tiger and as she laid down, she carved the names of the animals on the floors. '_Sirius'_ was by the black dog and _'James'_ was by the stag. With a proud roar, she glanced at the werewolf. '_Remus'_ she wrote on the floor.

_'Surprised to see me?'_ Lia said as she yawned and rested her head on her paws. The others stared in shock, having heard her voice in their minds. They looked confused and she rolled her eyes, not really wanting to show them but moved her left paw to show them the Ouroboros mark on her left wrist. _'I only found out recently that if I am in my Animagus form I can speak with other Animagus because of this. It comes in handy I suppose'_ she said. '_So can you hear us too?'_ asked Sirius. Lia nodded and Sirius barked in joy.

_'But how did you find us here?'_ asked James. _'I was seated up on the Astronomy Tower. I saw you guys. And I knew it was a full moon...and I heard suspicions from Severus about Remus', what did you call it James, his "furry little condition"?'_ she said with a grin present in her words. _'So you came to spy on us?'_ snapped James. Lia shook her head._ 'No. I wanted to see if what Severus said was true. And it is, but I can also see why you guys became Animagus. What he has to go through is very painful. And so its good he doesn't have to go through it alone anymore'_ Lia said.

_'But I thought Animagi were meant to take on an animal that represented their traits? How does a tiger match up with yours? A white tiger nonetheless?'_ asked Sirius. Remus stared at the two animals, not knowing what to do because there was no way he could hear them. He was not an Animagus, he was a werewolf. _'A white tiger means Powerful and strong, competent, charming, courageous, capable of great love, carefree life, deep thinker, stubborn with enemies, highly respected'_ said Lia. James snorted and Lia narrowed her eyes at him. _'Its funny, and though I hate to admit it, I can see why you are a white tiger"_ he said. Lia roared, a sign of a chuckle. _'James, as much of a git as you can be, you are a loyal friend'_ she said as she rose to her feet. _'Where are you going?'_ asked Sirius.

_'This isn't a place for me. I am not one of you guys, you don't trust me at all James'_ she said with a hint of sorrow in her voice as she went to leave. _'This is a place for the Marauders'_ said Lia as she placed one paw out the door. _'How did you know about that?'_ Sirius questioned. _'I overheard you guys one day. It's alright, I won't tell on you. Have faith in me'_ said Lia. _'How can we trust you?'_ snapped James, rising to his feet._ 'Because in order to rat you guys out as unregistered Animagi I'd have to do so myself'_ Lia said as she left, leaving the four friends in shock.

When she made it out of harms way of the Whomping Williow, she transformed back and glanced back at the entrance to Shrieking Shack that resided in the base of of tree. She wanted to hate James, she wanted to hate Sirius, but she found she couldn't. They were loyal friends and she would be a hypocrite should she turn her back on them. With a sad smile, Lia headed back towards the castle knowing that all good things must end. It was only a matter of when.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!<em>


	33. The Horror Of Our Love

_Author's Note: I apologize for the lack of updates. Things got pretty hectic here and I also received news that a good friend of mine will be moving away at the end of this month. So that's why updates have been scarce. Sorry to all those who enjoyed this story. Also, I'd like to thank my newest reviewer, **maripas,** for their kind words. It was a wonderful surprise to see a new reviewer who enjoyed my story. I apologize for the long update. I hope that I will be able to update quicker from now on._

**_DISCLAIMER:** I only own my characters and the plot. Anything HP related belongs to JK Rowling**_**

_Song of the chapter: **The Horror of Our Love- Ludo**_

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><p>Lia managed to sneak back into the Slytherin common room before any of the Prefects saw her. With a relieved sigh, she sat down on the couch and stared into the flames burning in the fireplace.<em> "Come...come to me"<em> Riddle's voice called to her in her mind. Lia shook her head, trying to break the control over her mind and her heart._ "I need you"_ he cooed, mocking her and taunting her. He wanted her to break down, wanted her to be weak so he could take her over again.

She began to see his face flickering in the flames. His malicious smirk present and his evil chuckle echoed around the confines of her mind. Grasping her head, she tried to wish away the images. _"Lia..."_ he sighed. Her eyes scanned the room, it felt like he was here. When the pressure of one's hand on her shoulder appeared, Lia jumped and backed into the couch. _"Love, I would never hurt you"_ Tom said. Lia shook her head. "Tom always lies, Tom always lies" she muttered to herself. The presence on her shoulder moved to her face and she flinched. _"You believe I would harm you?"_ he asked.

She began to cry, terrified by what was happening. Footsteps came down from the dormitories and still Lia cried. "Lia?" came a concerned voice of Severus Snape. Lia looked up at and grasped his pajama leg. "I need to see Dumbledore" she said in panic. Severus didn't ask, only lifted her up from the ground and rushed towards Dumbledore's office. A prefect saw them and went to stop them when Lia spoke up again. "Please, he's only taking me to Dumbledore's office" she pleaded. "Why?" asked the prefect. "Something is tormenting her" Severus said. The prefect looked unconvinced until he looked hard at the girl in Severus' arms. She was constantly searching the darkness for any sign of movement, her skin unnaturally pale and her eyes wide with fear. "Follow me" said the prefect as he led them towards Dumbledore's office.

"Red Vines" said the prefect as the stairs appeared. "Get her help then go straight to bed" said the prefect as he walked away. Severus brought her up the stairs and once in the Headmaster's office, she was calmed by the sight of Nox sitting there with a letter tied to his foot. Severus put her down as she stumbled towards the owl and unfurled the note. The sense of calm that had washed over her had completely vanished as her hands shook.

"no..." she muttered as she took a step back. "What is the problem Ms. Bellona?" asked Professor Dumbledore as he appeared before the two teens. Severus watched as his friend had a mental breakdown, not knowing what to do. "Mr. Snape, I suggest you head to bed. I will look after Ms. Bellona" said Dumbledore. "With all do respect sir, but she is my friend. I want to make sure she's alright" said Severus, not moving. "I assure you she will be fine. Head to bed" Dumbledore said as he maneuvered Severus out the door. Once Dumbledore was sure he had left, he turned to Lia.

"He's contacting me again...it stopped for awhile but now it's become more urgent" Lia said as she took a seat. "How...how is this possible?" she muttered. "It would seem that the Ringlet on your arm has been tampered with" said Dumbledore. "But how? I am the only one who could dispel the enchantments on it to use it" Lia said. "That is true, but Tom Riddle knew where it was hidden. He, when he killed your family, had placed an enchantment on the spirit of the Ouroboros Ringlet. He may not be able to use it, but he now has a connection to you" Dumbledore explained.

Lia became even paler at that news. "So he knows I'm here then" she said quietly. "Not necessarily. Tom only used it as a way to communicate with you. He had hoped that you would return on your own, after all with the extent of how deeply you care for him" Dumbledore said. "He's playing on those feelings Auxiliadora" he said. "What has he been saying?" he asked.

" _'Love, I would never hurt you', 'come...come to me', 'Lia...'_, and_ 'You would believe I would harm you?'_" Lia recited. Dumbledore stared at her, contemplating his next course of action. "But sir, something seems off about his words. I cannot explain it, but perhaps I could show you what I mean?" she said. "I think that may be best" said Dumbledore as Lia pulled out her wand and placed it on her temple, thinking of the moment before her arrival to his office where she heard Tom's voice. Pulling out the thin silvery thread of memory, she approached the pensieve and stared at Dumbledore. He approached her and when she put it into the pensieve, she and Dumbledore were transported into her memory.

When Dumbledore heard Tom's words, his eyes widened and as the memory ended, he looked at Lia fearfully. "It is as I had feared Auxiliadora. Tom may not be able to love, but he knows the concept of it. He is obsessed with you, you intrigue him. Its not true love, no, but it is obsessive love. And it is very dangerous, especially since you reciprocate his feelings" Dumbledore warned. "So he won't stop until he gets to me?" Lia asked. "Correct. He also won't rest until he has that Ringlet as his own. He fears death I am afraid" Dumbledore said. They spoke for awhile longer before Lia took her leave, feeling slightly more comforted by having told Dumbledore.

She had made it back to the common room, under the supervision of a prefect who Dumbledore had sent for to lead her back. Heading up to bed, she changed and laid in bed, thinking about the letter she had received.

_'Dearest Lia,_

_I'll fill the graveyards, until I have you. You've been burning up for days trying to gather all the figures in the clay. You know they can't all be saved. Leave the weak ones. The awful edges where you end and I begin. There's catastrophe in everything I'm touching. And I hold your beating chambers until they beat no more, you die like angels sing...the horror of our "love" never so much blood pulled through my veins._

_Should you choose not to return, many more will be harmed. Think of your family, your friend Ashley. Would you rather keep all the innocents safe? Or have them meet their fates?_

_I'll be waiting'_

Lia shuddered when she thought about the nature of his note. It was a veiled threat. He was out there, killing all those who opposed him. He was searching for her, obsessed with not her but the power she held. 'And I hold your beating chambers until they beat no more' she thought back on. He knew. He knew she loved him, and so he knew exactly how to pray upon that. He would get his way sooner or later, Lia feared. Before she fell asleep she saw the outline of the pale snake man standing at the foot of her bed, his evil eyes gleaming at her and his mouth twisted into a sneer.

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><p><em>Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy it!<br>_


	34. Gluttony Fang

_Author's note: Another update to make up for my lack of updates for quite some time. This chapter is from Tom Riddle's pov, seeing as we needed some more of him in the story. I promise things will get more in depth come upcoming chapters. _

**_Disclaimer: I only own my characters and my plot. Anything HP related belongs to JK Rowling_**

_Song of the chapter: **Gluttony Fang- BlazBlue OST**_

_italics= Parseltongue_

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><p>The storm raged outside as a figure sat beside a fireplace where a large snake resided coiled around the head of the figure's chair. Vibrantly red eyes burned into the fire as it cackled and danced, illuminating the darkness with flickering light. <em>"She still hasn't returned"<em> the figure hissed to the snake. In response the snake coiled around the figure, a man about 6'6" with dark hair and deathly pale skin but with crimson eyes, in an affectionate manner. _"Do not fret master. She will come"_ hissed the snake back. 

A sickening sweet smile spread across his features as he stroked the snakes head. _"I do suppose you are right Nagini"_ he said as he looked at the bird's skull choker that once resided around the neck of a very talented and beau- no, he would not allow himself to fall prey to such weak thoughts. Clutching his hand around the choker, he sat it deep thought. Before his eyes a small woman with startling emerald eyes and raven locks danced around him, her round lips upturned into a smile. Her heart shaped face beamed with life, a glow that had all but vanished from her since the death of her family. 

He recalled that day fondly. He had almost held her in his control like a puppet. Spoon feeding her lies, she believed his words and did his bidding. Yet at the same time, she fell apart at the seams. She was no longer the strong child she had proven herself to be at a young age. He remembered seeing her temper flare at the Dalmascus boy. He remembered seeing her defend her friends, even those outside the Slytherin house. Licking his lips, he felt himself falling deeper into the sinful grasp of his desire for her and her power. 

She was powerful, ancient magic coursing through her veins and she grasped minute knowledge of the precious artifact that currently resided on her left wrist. That artifact gave him the ability to reach out to her, an after effect from his attempt to grasp control over the Ouroboros Ringlet. He had failed but it seemed his failure granted him insight into her mind, a link that couldn't be blocked by Occumulens. Another image of her appeared beside him, leaning against his throne like chair and drawing mindlessly. As he peered at the ghostly image of her, he felt his eyes widen as he saw her drawing. It was him and surrounding him were marigolds but in his hand was a crumpled, bleeding coral rose. In his time away from her he had studied up on her secret messages that she so loved to use. 

It was a pathetic thing really called 'Flower Language'. He knew marigolds stood for pain and grief, she had used them before when her family died, but the crumpled bleeding coral rose was new to him. It made him raise a dark eyebrow in response. Desire? Passion? He smirked as he caught on to her feelings. Another thing to exploit her on, but then a boy appeared before him. Snarling he watched as she smiled at him and let him sit down next to her. His hair was long and wavy, dark, and he had aristocratic features. 

Though he couldn't hear what she was saying, he knew that she enjoyed the company of this boy. Rage and hatred burned uncontrollably beneath his calm surface, a sign made evident as Nagini moved away from her master with some reluctance. Ever since he had realized that he could make a connection with her, he saw events through her eyes...or better yet...what she wanted him to see. She knew of his connection to her, he knew she heard his words as he spoke to her. That infuriated him even more, why had she not returned? 

_"Master, perhaps it is time for you to go and retrieve her yourself?"_ hissed the snake. _"No Nagini. She will return on her own accord"_ he hissed back. Glancing at the mirror above the fireplace, he smirked wickedly as he drank in his image. No longer was he Tom Marvolo Riddle, the filthy half-blood son of Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle. He was now Lord Voldemort, a wizard soon to make everyone cower in fear. But when he turned back to the image of the girl, he saw she was showing him her reflection in the Black Lake. Something inside him stirred, fueling his dark desires but also lighting a flame inside that he had quelled many years ago. Tears had streamed down her face as she traced her fingers in the cold waters, watching as the name 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' appeared before her in ice. Tom rose an eyebrow once more as he became fascinated by her once more. 

She was unusual, the first person next to Albus Dumbledore who saw through his lies. She saw through everything he put up, yet never uttered a word. From a distance she kept her eyes on him, but never once did she intrude on his plans. She was an enigma to him, something that baffled him and angered him. Auxiliadora Bellona Liddell was the one person who sparked this unhealthy desire in him. His darkest desires included her. He wanted her, wanted to see her scream his name. He wanted to show his power over her, wanted to break her down. But he wanted her to fight back, just so he could show her where her place was. 

But what frightened him the most, even more so than death, was one simple fact.

He lusted after her 

Not only as a prisoner, as a servant, no he wanted every inch of her. He needed her, became intoxicated with her power. And the more his dark desires ran rampant the more dangerous he became. Tom knew that she knew, deep inside, he would not stop until she was his. And it was this feeling of danger that radiated off him that prompted him to allow this game of Cat and Mouse to continue. So as he sat back and watched her, his eyes hungrily devoured every curve of her body like a wolf eyeing its prey before attacking. He followed her movements, lapping up each delicious moment with greed. 

He knew she would show herself to him sooner or later, and Lord Voldemort would be more than happy to wait. Because she would be walking right into his gluttonous fangs, and he would show her just where she stood. She would be his and as such he would control her power to his own advantage. Nagini slowly approached her master. "_You are thinking about her again Master"_ hissed the snake. Tom smirked and stroked her head affectionately. _"All in good time Nagini. She will be here"_ he said. _"How can you be so sure?"_ hissed the snake. _"She loves me"_ Tom said, spitting out the word 'love' with such venom. _"A pitiful emotion that is"_ hissed the snake. _"All too true Nagini, but it is an emotion I can use to my advantage"_ he said. Nagini almost seemed to smirk at her master but it seemed to fade as she caught sight of one pale digit fondly stroking the choker in his hand and in that moment, she questioned her master for the first time, having sensed a change in his demeanor as he stroke the bird's skull pendant silently. But she dare not speak it to her master.

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><p><em>Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading!<em>


	35. The Lying Lies and Dirty Secrets Of

**Author's Note:** _I sincerely apologize for the horrible lack of updates. Life was pretty busy and I lost my muse for this story, but I'm back on track right now so I'll update more! Once again I'm really sorry to all my loyal readers/reviewers!_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my characters and plot. Harry Potter and the Wizarding World belong to J.K**_

_**Song of the chapter:**** The Lying Lies and Dirty Secrets of Miss Erica Court- Coheed and Cambria** _

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><p>The Lying Lies and Dirty Secrets of Miss Auxliadora Lidell<p>

_I never trusted Lia. There was something not quite, how should I put it...right about her? From the very moment we met, she was hiding something. Her mind was closed to all but Snivellus and Lily, the former making it almost a point to rub it in my face that she trusted him more than me. I had to bite back my tongue whenever I wanted to cry out about my suspicions. She seemed far older than she truly looked, something not uncommon in the Wizarding world, but yet the aura around her seemed to scream out in torment and horrified anguish._

_ It took all my self control to not tremble upon first meeting. Everyone seems fooled by her charms. Flames of darkness flicker beneath the pools of jade that bare her soul. But should I confront her about these things I fear the worst. She is definitely the type to have as a friend, she'd make quite the fearful enemy. But what of that mark on her left wrist? The Ouroboros? I did my research and it seems that the Ouroboros Ringlet was created as a means to grant immortality. However, since it was created with the use of unicorn blood and an unspeakable act, it is said to be cursed. The wearer will have a shortened life, one that ended quicker and quicker with each passing day. Their bodies would deteriorate from the inside out. But the heir to the Ringlet would be able to destroy it. But at the price of their own life._

_ Is this what she is hiding? The Ringlet? Did she steal it? How did she come across it? How is she an Animagus? Why hasn't she ratted us out yet? Is she afraid of her secret coming out? Why has her demeanor changed? She hated me only a few days ago. Why does she seem so pale? Worried even? She seems sick, is it the Ringlet? Nothing about her seems to add up. The only people who seem to understand her are Snivellus and Lily, and neither are so inclined to explain her motives to me._

James snapped his head up at the sound of footsteps approaching him. Glancing around, he shoved his journal into the pocket of his robes before the intruder came to stand near him. "Potter" came the cool voice of a certain Lia Bellona. Glaring up, he met her eyes. "Bellona" he hissed. "Writing in your diary of ways to make Severus' life miserable? Oh wait, you already succeeded in that by making Lily hate him" she snarled. James winced at her tone but kept his ground. "And you're bothering me why? I thought we were friends" asked James, mocking her. Lia rose an eyebrow and chuckled. "Just because I know your secret James doesn't mean you and I are friends. I only care about the others you hang out with, you still are on my list" she said. 

James narrowed his eyes until she plopped down beside him. Moments of silence passed as she just sat there. "Why did you have to ruin Lily and Severus' friendship?" she asked quietly. James stuttered for a response before Lia turned to him. "You love her too don't you?" asked Lia with a sad smile. "You knew?" James finally asked, defeated and hardly wanting to fight. "You don't hide it. You wear your emotions on your sleeve" Lia said. 

"Well, what about you?" asked James. Lia looked at him oddly. "Why don't you hate me anymore?" he asked, leaning back in his chair in the most secluded corner of the library. "Lily" she said. James rose an eyebrow and Lia chuckled. "Lily wouldn't want me to hate anyone, let alone you" she said. "Lia...what's going on with you?" asked James. She froze and looked away. "What?" she asked. "You are sickly, worried even. Something is off about you, actually, something has always been off about you" he stated. Panic coursed through her veins as she reared back like something burned her. Grabbing her left wrist, she hissed in pain. "Lia?" he asked. 

Lia hung her hand, teeth clenched in a means to numb the pain. James just stared helplessly on as she tried to keep the burning in her wrist from registering in her mind, but it wasn't working. Standing abruptly, she turned away and began to rush away. 

"My end is my beginning" 

James was confused beyond all means by her phrase. Things surrounding her just didn't make sense. It was like the duality of her personality was preventing the situation from making sense...or was it she couldn't tell anyone what was going on? 

Lia ran back to the Slytherin common room and upon entering, threw herself onto the couch. The Ringlet was searing into her flesh, making her accutely aware of its presence. Before her flashed images of the man with red eyes and that all too familiar smirk. Glancing at the flowers on the table, she snarled when the one she needed wasn't there. Pulling out her wand, she waved it around until marigolds and fennel stared back at her. All these secrets were causing her to fall apart. Severus kept his hawk like gaze on her, looking for any sign of changes in her and James waited for her to slip up._ 'Pain, grief, deceit'_ she thought to herself as she began to realize that she could only tell others how she felt through flowers. 

Or else he would end up knowing. She knew he would know and that thought caused the burning Ringlet to cause her more pain. With a hiss, she tried to block out the pain but it did her no good. "What are you doing?" came James' voice from behind her. She whipped around and glared at him. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?" she snarled. James looked amused and sat down. "Your common room is such a dreary place" he said. "Shove off Potter" she said. He rose an eyebrow and put a barrier around the room to appear empty to everyone outside the bubble . He also cast a silencing charm in the event someone heard them. 

"You never answered me Bellona" said James. "What I am doing is of no concern to you" she hissed, the pain overwhelming her. A flicker of concern shone from behind James' eyes but it went away as soon as it appeared. Without another word, he grabbed her left wrist and pulled her robes back to find the Ringlet hissing angrily at him with its fangs burried in her skin. His eyes widened as he stumbled backward. "It does exist" he said breathlessly. Lia looked to the ground and coved it back up. "But...how?" asked James. "How I came across it?" she asked, sitting down with a defeated expression on her face. He nodded. "My grandmother" was all she said to James. "Your grandmother was Rachael Liddell..wasn't she?" asked James. She sighed and nodded. "Yes". "But your name is Lia Bellona" James said as he tried to piece together information. 

"My real name is Auxiliadora Bellona Liddell. The name I gave you was a fake name, fastened from my middle name and my shortened first name" she said. "You liar" hissed James. Lia's eyes narrowed at him. "I was only trying to protect myself. You don't know the life I have" she said. " No but I do know that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is looking for that" he snapped, pointing to her left wrist. "You are a spy for him! How could you? You who became a friend" James hissed as he jumped to his feet. Lia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please spare me Potter. I am no spy, in fact I am running from him. Besides, you do not think me a friend. You never trusted me" she said as she waved her wand and levitated his journal up, flipping its pages so it landed on his most recent journal entry. 

James stared at her, not knowing what to do since he was caught. "Well? What other questions do you have for me?" asked Lia, her patience wearing thin. "I've heard of you...You shouldn't be at Hogwarts. You were supposed to graduate years ago!" he said. She rose an eyebrow playfully. "Oh why of course, except for the tiny problem of this Ringlet preventing me from actually aging. The process is slow, almost nonexistant. I never asked for it, but my ancestor created this and you know what she did? She used unicorn's blood, Potter! She cursed me into having to know that I will die in order to save the rest of this world" she hissed. James glared at her. "I doubt that. You are just a serpant with a golden tongue" he said. 

"Fine. Don't believe me" she said as she turned away from him. "W-where are you going?" he asked. "I'm packing. It's about time I leave this place. He'll find me here, if he doesn't already know it" she said softly as she turned around and picked the flowers up. "Whenever you find out the meanings of the flowers, you'll know what I was trying to tell you all along" Lia said cryptically as she headed up the stairs to her dormitory, leaving James alone in his protective shield. Pulling on his Invisibilty Cloak, he waved his wand and dispelled the charm around him, leaving the Slytherin Common Room with the newly obtained information.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I once more apologize for the lack of updates<strong>


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